US Medical Term · tests
Bone Scan
Gammagrafía Ósea
Also: Escáner Óseo (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Bone Scan |
| Spanish (Español) | Gammagrafía Ósea |
| Chinese (中文) | 骨骼掃描 |
| Korean (한국어) | 골 스캔 (뼈 스캔) |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Xạ hình xương |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Bone Scan |
| Portuguese (Português) | Cintilografia Óssea |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | การสแกนกระดูก |
| Japanese (日本語) | 骨シンチグラフィ |
What it means
A bone scan is a nuclear medicine imaging test that detects areas of abnormal bone activity, such as cancer spread, fractures, infections, or arthritis. A small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into a vein in your arm. You will wait two to four hours for the tracer to travel through your bloodstream and be absorbed by your bones. Then you lie still on a table while a special camera moves slowly over your body to detect the radiation emitted by the tracer. The scan itself takes 30 to 60 minutes. Areas of increased tracer uptake appear as hot spots. You should drink plenty of water after the injection to help flush the tracer out of your body through your urine.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
How long do I need to wait after the injection before the bone scan imaging starts?
¿Cuánto tiempo debo esperar después de la inyección antes de que comience la gammagrafía ósea?
Will the radioactive tracer in the bone scan harm my kidneys or other organs?
¿El marcador radiactivo de la gammagrafía ósea dañará mis riñones u otros órganos?
What does a hot spot on a bone scan mean?
¿Qué significa una zona caliente en una gammagrafía ósea?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026