Do you need a referral for bone scan?

You generally need a clinician’s request for a bone scan, although the booking pathway varies by imaging service. A doctor or specialist explains the clinical question to nuclear medicine and provides details needed to plan the scan.

A bone scan uses a small injected tracer and imaging to show areas of increased bone activity. The request should state why the scan is needed, such as unexplained bone pain, a suspected stress injury, or assessment of a known condition. The scan is interpreted alongside your examination and other imaging; an active area is not a diagnosis on its own.

Ask the requesting clinician or imaging centre whether you need to fast, how long the visit may take, and when images are obtained after the injection. Tell the team if you are pregnant, might be pregnant, breastfeeding, or have difficulty drinking fluids. Bring your request, previous scan reports, and medicine list. Follow the centre’s instructions about hydration and returning for delayed images.

Seek urgent care for severe pain after a major injury, an obvious deformity, inability to use the limb, or a limb that becomes cold, pale, or numb. New weakness, fever with a swollen painful joint, or rapidly worsening symptoms may also need prompt assessment. A scan appointment should not delay evaluation of an emergency.

Ask what question the bone scan is intended to answer and whether another test may be more suitable. Confirm preparation, the number of visits, the timing of results, and whether you should continue usual medicines. Ask how the findings will affect your next treatment decision.