Scintigraphy (Bone Scan)

The equine veterinary surgeon investigating causes of poor performance, lameness and back problems has a number of tools available, including thorough clinical examination, local anaesthetic nerve blocks, radiography (x-ray), ultrasound, MRI, CT and bone scanning. A bone scan makes use of low level radiation, injected into the patient, which then concentrates in areas of inflammation within the body. The patient is scanned a couple of hours after injection with a large camera, which detects the radiation being emitted from the body. Where there is inflammation, there is more radiation, so the camera detects a “hot spot”. Bone scanning is most useful for injuries or disease of bones, joints, teeth and some ligament injuries.