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

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.

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….

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

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

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

The use of radioactive liquid that is taken by mouth as a capsule or given by injection….

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.

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

See brachytherapy or radioisotope therapy.