Bone scan
Disease Information
Overview
A bone scan is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses a radioactive substance to visualize the bones. It is different from plain x-rays or CT in that it shows bone metabolism and cell activity in the bones.
How Boston Children's Hospital approaches bone scans
The Division of Nuclear Medicine at Children's is committed to providing a safe, comfortable and child-friendly atmosphere with:
- specialized nuclear medicine physicians with expertise in interpreting bone scans in children of all ages
- certified nuclear medicine technologists with years of experience imaging children and teens
- Child Life specialists to help families prior to and during exams
- equipment adapted for pediatric use, which means age-appropriate care for children
- protocols that keep radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievablewhile assuring high image quality
