NucMed Boards Prep
IMAGE INTERPRETATION · BONE IMAGING

Normal Physiologic Uptake on a Bone Scan

Normal whole-body Tc-99m MDP bone scan — anterior and posterior projections
Normal whole-body Tc-99m MDP bone scan — anterior and posterior projections

CC BY 3.0 · Myohan / Wikimedia Commons · source file

Question

On a normal Tc-99m MDP whole-body bone scan, which of the following structures normally shows PHYSIOLOGIC radiotracer activity on the delayed (bone-phase) images?

  1. ASpleen and thyroid
  2. BKidneys, bladder, and sites of active bone growth (growth plates in children)
  3. CBrain and liver
  4. DLungs and stomach
Show the answer and explanation

B. Kidneys, bladder, and sites of active bone growth (growth plates in children)

On normal delayed bone scan images, physiologic uptake is expected in: (1) KIDNEYS — MDP is excreted by glomerular filtration, so renal activity is always visible; (2) BLADDER — urine concentrates the tracer in the bladder; (3) GROWTH PLATES — in children and adolescents, actively growing epiphyses show intense physiologic uptake at all metaphyseal regions; (4) AXIAL SKELETON — moderately increased uptake in spine, sternum, ribs, and pelvis. Soft tissue activity (outside of kidney/bladder) is abnormal and suggests poor renal clearance, free pertechnetate injection, or lymphedema.

More bone imaging images

Tc-99m MDP bone scan showing uptake in the tibial regionShin Splints on Bone Scan: Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome Tc-99m MDP bone scan — femoral head and neck regionAvascular Necrosis of the Femoral Head on Bone Scan Three-phase bone scintigraphy — serial imagesFlare Phenomenon on Bone Scan After Chemotherapy Whole-body Tc-99m MDP bone scan in a patient with prostate cancerBone Scan for Staging High-Risk Prostate Cancer Bone scan showing focal intense uptake with deformity in the femurFibrous Dysplasia on Bone Scan (Shepherd’s Crook) Whole-body Tc-99m MDP bone scanTc-99m Physical Half-Life
← Cellulitis vs Osteomyelitis on Three-Phase Bone ScanShin Splints on Bone Scan: Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome →

All 130 nuclear medicine images by category →

Practise image interpretation in the app

All 130 images as an interactive quiz, alongside 500 NMTCB and ARRT(N) questions with worked explanations, case studies and timed mock exams. 25 questions are free, no card and no account.

Start free — no card

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play