How does bone scanning work?

How does bone scanning work?

Bone scan works through the activity of the radio tracer, Tc99m MDP, which basically collects the areas of bone formation either around tumors, infection sites or fracture sites. Basically, for example, in an area of metastases or tumor, that metastases is being contained by the normal bone around it. That bone formation or reaction is where the MDP goes and attaches itself to; therefore, it is an indirect way of looking at the tumor. In patients who have fractures, again there is healing going on in that area of the fracture by new bone formation, and Tc99m MDP goes into those areas. And that is why we are able to image areas of fracture, even earlier than what we can see with a regular x-ray. You can see the reaction much earlier. With the infection, there is a similar situation. In areas of infection the bone around the areas of infection are reacting by forming new bone and those areas where the MDP already are attracted to are able to image areas of infection.