Bone Scan Report - What Does It Mean? Posted: 12-24-04 16:20pm
Had a hip replaced 18 mos ago and started
having pain in my thigh in august, Dr.
Did plain x-rays and said things looked
fine. Put me on lodine 400mg, I took it
for 8 weeks with no improvement, the pain
is worse now. Dr. Ordered bone scan
which I have the report and a cd with the
images, but I really don't understand what
it means and my appt. With the Dr. Is
not until after the 1st of the year. I
was wondering if someone could tell me
what the report is saying.Should I be
aggresive on following up on this or is it
nothing to worry about? (report follows)
1) there is focal mild to moderate
increased uptake with a patchy
distribution seen in the region of the mid
femur. This does not clearly appear to be
continuous with the inferior tip of the
prothesis and correlation with the length
of the prosthesis on plain films is
necessary. The femur distal to the neck
on 3/18/03 (prior bone scan) was normal.
(impression)- focal patchy moderate
increased uptake in mid femur. Uncertain
if this is contiguous with the inferior
tip of the prosthesis, although I believe
this is distal to the prothesis. Given
that this area was normal on prior bone
scan, differential considerations include
stress fracture, other posttraumatic
cause, or neoplastic cause. Osteomyelitis
in the mid femoral region is possible
although unlikely since this does not
extend along the adjacent femoral
prosthetic component. 2) otherwise normal
appearance of hip prothesis. 3) mild
degenerative changes of left hip, as noted
on prior bone scan.
