Need something explained - "Uptake" ??

[Longterm101]

What does "uptake" mean on my bone scan.

"intense uptake on seventh rib"

Thoughts?

[cesanon]

It must refer to the contrast agent.

The bone is "uptaking" the contrast agent and therefore showing up more strongly in the scan.

[Longterm101 in reply to cesanon]

Thx

Does that indicate cancer activity

[cesanon in reply to Longterm101]

Most likely, but not for certain. For that you need to ask the Doctor.

For instance. I could be an old broken bone or arthritis or something.

[dhccpa in reply to cesanon]

Really?? I didn't know that and couldn't tell that from how my scan reports are worded, although they are very vaguely worded.

[tango65]

It means radioactive material accumulation in the specified area. It is not specific of any disease,

hopkinsmedicine.org/health/...

[Tall_Allen]

On a bone scan, you were injected with technetium-99m-MDP. MDP absorbs onto sites of actively growing bone tissue. The more absorbed, the higher the uptake. They know what the uptake is because technetium-99m emits gamma rays. They are able to take a gamma-ray photo or SPECT (which is 3D gamma-ray image). This is fused with the image from a CT scan so they know exactly where the uptake is.

[dhccpa in reply to Tall_Allen]

Do they know what causes the uptake? From the image alone?

[vforvendetta in reply to dhccpa]

As an example... When my father had his bone scan, three of his ribs lit up and the doctor asked him if he had sprained his ribs, which in fact he had 3 months prior.

[dhccpa in reply to vforvendetta]

So that's why the folks at the scan place always want details on PSA, treatment, etc. Always puzzled me.

[Tall_Allen in reply to dhccpa]

Any bone remodeling causes increased uptake. That can be due to old fractures, arthritis, bone infections, or metastases. The CT given with it can show what the cause is. Sometimes a f/u MRI is given.

[Longterm101 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thx All!!

[dhccpa in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks. The wording in all my scans reports often seem less than certain in how conclusions are couched. Same with biopsy.

[Tall_Allen in reply to dhccpa]

Yeah - it's impossible to be certain without a biopsy.

[j-o-h-n]

More pronounced?

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 01/29/2021 11:22 PM EST

[dadzone43]

They inject a radioactive tracer and then they scan your body. The tracer is "taken up" by some calls and not by others. The radiologist reports this as seeing uptake .

[NecessarilySo]

Cancerous cells grow faster than normal cells, and the more rapid growth causes greater absorption of the radioactive tracer. The scan then gives a clue to where cancerous cells are. But it is not clear cut. The body then excretes the tracer through the urine so the urinary tract including the kidneys and bladder become "hot" looking. Radiologists seem to know by experience what to look for and what to ignore. But I don't think it is easy. Looking at my own scans has given me nightmares. I thought I was seeing things that the radiologist was not.