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Bone scan---with injection of radio-active dye


Guest Julia59

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Guest Julia59

Hi folks---hope you are all having some good days...........if not---well---maybe watch some good movies............ :)

I have to have more testing. The neurosurgeon at the Cleveland Clinic ordered a bone scan with an injection of RO dye-----------don't like the sound of that. From what I understand it takes a long time. He is doing the scan on my neck.

Then he would like me to have a flexation/extension x-ray of my neck to check the instability...

After that he want's an MRI with contrast of my thoracic spine. I asked him why---and he mentioned someting about my EDS possibly affecting my thoracic spine---???????? Then he would like to see me again on January 23rd. He has sent me to a chronic fatigue/FMS specialist on Dec. 22nd. The date was changed for the 29th to the 22nd---as the CFS Doc won't be there that week.

I have never had the contrast for an MRI------Is it bad?........I did OK with a CT scan and the contrast they use for that. I'm having trouble holding my head up----and the muscle on the left feels like it is all twisted--from the base of my skull down to my clavical.

I guess my main questions are if anyone had a bone scan before with injection---is it the same radio active dye they put in the Eggs when the do a gastric emptying test? I tolerated that fine. I guess they have to wait for the tracer to get into the bones before the scan is done.

I found out that my vitamin D is extremely low---<7---it should be something like 25-55 for the norm. I have been put on prescription vitamin D. I also have to take calcium.

I'll be taking omega-3---flax seed oil---(spelling?) for my cholesterol issues. My total is 195----it's more of a ratio problem between the LDL--HDL and triglycerides. My HDL is low---and the LDL is the high end of normal---and the triglycerides are a little high.

I won't be taking the Zetia-----way to many side affects for a girl like me. It could put me to bed for a while---as I already have myelopathy----cause still to be determined. The Doc at the Cleveland Clinic thinks I have something more systematic going on. Swallowing is becoming more and more difficult---and I choke alot lately.

Julie :0)

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I have had bone scans and MRIs with contrast. They are both different BUT it does depend on what area of the body it is for, and what medical center it is done at. A few weeks ago I had an MRI with contrast done, and since I am allergic to shellfish, they had to skip using part of the stuff they use to place the contrast directly into my joint. I'm not sure if that makes sense.

On a bone scan its typically an injection in your arm, and is about like getting blood drawn. Than you drink lots of water and wait an hour and they do the test.

The MRI was alot different...it has a special name but I forget what its called. For mine they took an x-ray, kept me in the same place on the table. Than the doctor used a floroscope (sp?) and marked the place on my hip the injection would go in with a sharpie. Next he numbed me with lidocane (sp?). Once that kicked in, he injected me with a combination of the contrast, saline and epinephrine.

It is done with a floroscope so they can make sure it goes in the right place and there is enough. The decision was made to not use the tracer due to my allergies, and the doctor went by feel and how I said it felt. He got it right and it wasn't a big deal (BUT he is a top guy for this procedure and does this everyday...I asked if it was gonne be a major guess or was he solid).

They also kept extra epinephrine on hand at all times "just in case" since I go into anaphalaxis from shellfish. It is very rare for people to have a reaction to the stuff they use for MRIs and normally do not even keep the epi right there during the procedure. I was also told if I felt funny, had trouble breathing, itched, felt uncomfortable, or anything else at any point in the MRI to immediantly let them know. I did fine and had no side effects. Since it was my hip, I had major issues walking due to all the extra fluid for several days. I was also unable to carry anything or do much of anything for several days. They had me in a wheelchair, and I had to use that to get to the car too. I needed help walking (somebody to lean on) for the rest of the day. The next day I limped and walked really slowly. It took a few days to go back to normal but wasn't bad.

I think that may be a version of what they are doing to you. Not sure, but maybe that will be of some help to you. The medical staff at the hospital I was at, was outstanding. I had two nurses with me during the injections, and they allowed my mother to stay with me for everything except for the MRI. I do recommend bringing a bunch of CDs to have them blast during the MRI.

I get really cold on normal days, so I was even colder during the MRI. Ask for extra blankets and even some warm ones during the MRI. If you shiver it will mess up the pictures and they will have to re-do them.

Hope some of this helped. I know the others on here will be able to offer more experience with this. It is nothing like the horror of drinking Barium or those sort of tests. Good luck!

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HI, I have had a bone scan with the contrast, and it was not too bad. I had the whole body scan to check for hot spots because I am allergic to metal, and I had 3 metal screws in my leg. I have had numerous IV injections of the radioactive isotopes. It is scary, but that is about all. I did not have any adverse side affects. I thought for a while there that I was going to start glowing in the dark. (Ha Ha ). The test itself did not take a long time. I had to go in for one injection, and then come back that afternoon for the IV and the test. I have had other tests that were a lot worse! I do not think that it is the same, although I may be wrong. With this test they took the injection from a radioactive container, and when I had the cat scans and the mri they did not. I wish that I could take vit. D and calcium, because my bones are so brittle, but I cant . the docs said that there is nothing metabolic causing my osteporosis, it has to be genetic and I cant take any of the medicine, because I have kidney problems. My cardiologist and neurologist took me off of all my meds (that I can live without) until I get back surgery and he has finished his testing. I will be glad when all of the testing is over. I have the symptoms of PAF, but you know Docs, they have to do their tests, no matter how painful they are. I go in on the 30th for 2 MRIs and an EMG, and from there I have no idea. I get very frustrated with all of these tests. They took me off of the meds for depression and anxiety and now they say that I have to learn meditation. Wow I hope it works! Hope your tests go ok. Try to go in there calm and I have found that if you are claustrophobic, close your eyes before you go in the MRI machine, and think of wide open spaces. Dont open your eyes and it works for me. I am very claustrophobic. Hope this helps you. :)

Hope you start feeling better soon.

Vanessa aka ( Mrs. Glass)

Hi folks---hope you are all having some good days...........if not---well---maybe watch some good movies............ :)

I have to have more testing.  The neurosurgeon at the Cleveland Clinic ordered a bone scan with an injection of RO dye-----------don't like the sound of that.  From what I understand it takes a long time.  He is doing the scan on my neck.

Then he would like me to have a flexation/extension x-ray of my neck to check the instability...

After that he want's an MRI with contrast of my thoracic spine.  I asked him why---and he mentioned someting about my EDS possibly affecting my thoracic spine---???????? Then he would like to see me again on January 23rd.  He has sent me to a chronic fatigue/FMS specialist on Dec. 22nd.  The date was changed for the 29th to the 22nd---as the CFS Doc won't be there that week.

I have never had the contrast for an MRI------Is it bad?........I did OK with a CT scan and the contrast they use for that.  I'm having trouble holding my head up----and the muscle on the left feels like it is all twisted--from the base of my skull down to my clavical.

I guess my main questions are if anyone had a bone scan before with injection---is it the same radio active dye they put in the Eggs when the do a gastric emptying test?  I tolerated that fine.  I guess they have to wait for the tracer to get into the bones before the scan is done.

I found out that my vitamin D is extremely low---<7---it should be something like 25-55 for the norm.  I have been put on prescription vitamin D.  I also have to take calcium.

I'll be taking omega-3---flax seed oil---(spelling?) for my cholesterol issues.  My total is 195----it's more of a ratio problem between the LDL--HDL and triglycerides.  My HDL is low---and the LDL is the high end of normal---and the triglycerides are a little high. 

I won't be taking the Zetia-----way to many side affects for a girl like me.  It could put me to bed for a while---as I already have myelopathy----cause still to be determined.  The Doc at the Cleveland Clinic thinks I have something more systematic going on.  Swallowing is becoming more and more difficult---and I choke alot lately.

Julie :0)

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Hi

A bone scan may be very helpful to pinpoint exactly what's going on.

I had one about a year ago with the dye injected, no problem (except that you have to drink a ton of water and I must have gone to the bathroom like 400 times). The dye from a CT scan is the one that's known to cause the worst reactions. This is a different dye.

It was otherwise like an xray. No confining machine (they did the thoracic spine)

good luck!

Ariella

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