Search: bone scan

radioisotope bone scan

A scan using small amounts of radioisotope to find areas of bone where there is cancer….

bone scan

A technique to create images of bones on a computer screen. A small amount of radioactive dye is injected into a vein. It collects in the bones and is detected by a scanning machine.

PET scan

Positron emission tomography. A scan in which a person is injected with a small amount of radioactive glucose solution. Cancerous areas show up brighter in the scan because they take up more of the glucose….

MRI scan

A magnetic resonance imaging scan. This scan uses magnetism and radio waves to take detailed cross-sectional pictures of the body….

CT scan

A computerised tomography scan. This scan uses x-rays to build a picture of the inside of the body.

bone marrow

The soft, spongy material inside bones. Bone marrow contains stem cells that produce red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

contrast medium

A substance injected into the vein or taken orally before a scan (such as a CT or MRI scan), which helps make pictures clearer. Also called a contrast agent or dye.

craniectomy

An operation to open the skull by removing some bone in order to access the brain. The bone is not replaced due to swelling.

endorectal ultrasound (ERUS)

In this scan, a probe that generates soundwaves is inserted into the rectum. A picture of the rectum is built up from the echoes of the soundwaves.

bowel preparation

The process of cleaning out the bowel (removing faeces) before a test or scan to allow the doctor to see the bowel more clearly.