Tag: sports medicine

Nuclear Scintigraphy is commonly called a bone scan.  Bone scans are very sensitive ways to image orthopedic conditions in the horse.  The technique uses a biologically safe radioisotope combined with a compound used by bone to target areas where there are bony changes or where the bone is actively forming, such in areas of injury or fracture. This compound, known as a radiopharmaceutical, is injected into the bloodstream of the horse and then a special camera, called a gamma camera, is used to image the musculoskeletal system. Abnormal areas, called lesions (or areas of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake) are seen as “hot” or “cold” spots on the images.  These images can be viewed on a monitor or printed on paper.  Bone scans are especially useful in helping […]