Overview
Coming in 2024, we are excited to introduce nuclear scintigraphy, also known as bone scan, to our sports medicine services. Bone scan is an advanced diagnostic procedure for evaluating abnormalities of the skeletal system and some soft tissue attachments to the bone. It can be helpful in localizing problems not found through typical modes of examination.
Especially helpful
- When a lameness examination (with nerve and joint blocks) has not been able to localize the cause of a lameness
- With a hard to evaluate area such as the neck, back and pelvis
- When a lameness has been localized with no results from x-ray or ultrasound
- When evaluating the skeleton for poor performance, or when behavior is a problem without overt lameness
- When there is multiple limb lameness
- When there is severe lameness with a suspected fracture
- With intermittent lameness
How it Works
A radioactive material (having the equivalent radiation to a chest x-ray) is injected intravenously. The material binds to bone, especially in areas of inflammation such as arthritis, fractures, areas of trauma, and where tendons and ligaments have inflamed attachments to bone. The scintigraphy machine’s large scanner head (1.5′ x 2′) is positioned on multiple areas of the horse. The machine creates images of the skeleton, revealing areas of high uptake of radioactive material. The images are interpreted for localization of potential problems.
