How often should I be getting a nuclear medicine bone scan?

[PlutosNose]

I was diagnosed stage four in June 2022 with primary mets in my L3 vertebrae. I had a whole body nuclear medicine bone scan at that time and haven’t had one since… should I be getting these every year?

[Sharon0122]

I get one it seems three times a year. Not sure what is good

[Kerryd22]

I get it every time I have a CT scan. Currently that’s every six months.

[diamags]

Initially, I got them 4x per year, because I was stable after 3 years, I get them 3x per year now. I've been stable for 10 years now.

[love2golfwell]

I only had 1 bone scan when I was first diagnosed. Since then I have been getting PET/CT scans. It used to be every 4 months, but now it is every 6 months as I have been stable. I don't know what the standard of care is regarding scans, I think it might be a decision by individual oncologists.

[Trissh]

Also get them every 4 months. Found a new small met on femur last bone scan that did not show up on CT and had radiation to zap it before it caused problems.

[mariootsi]

I get bone scans every 3-6mths. Every onc seems to have ther own timetable depending on our individual situation.

[fancydog]

Finally after being NEAD for a couple of yrs, I get to go 6 months until the next one

[awesome4ever]

Hi PlutosNose. If I understand your post correctly you just have the one solitary met at level L3 of your spine. If this is correct it is within the diagnostic viewing area whether you get a PET or if you get CT (CAP) they would have easy viewing to that area. I expect your bone scan at the time of diagnosis was just part of the overall diagnostic tools used. So with that being said and if the information I presumed is correct I see no reason why you would need bone scans on an ongoing basis unless you develop pain in other areas of the skeletal system. Take care.

[PlutosNose in reply to awesome4ever]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have mets in auxiliary R lymph node and lung but no other bone mets. I do get a CT with Dye every 6 weeks. Do bone mets usually come with pain at erly stages? (My L3 met was very painfull but I think it had done a lot of damage before they properly diagnosd the problem.)

[awesome4ever in reply to PlutosNose]

Bone mets can be unpredictable but I think in general we can live with them for years before they cause discomfort that would bring us to a doctor for diagnosis. Before diagnosis as a working professional I suffered with back pain for years that I just attributed to wear and tear on the body. I mean whoever would think it was bone metastases. I was diagnosed De Novo with extensive bone metastases so it was an unbelievable shock. So in answer to your question no, bone mets generally do not cause discomfort in early stages.

Yes I saw in your profile that you also had lung and axillary lymph mets and for all those areas plus the spinal met a CT with IV contrast is more than adequate for monitoring. I assume you meant you get a CT every 6 months as opposed to every 6 weeks which seems excessive. Good luck and take care.

[Gingerann1]

I get a full body bone scan when I get my CT scan, currently every 6 months as I am NED (no evidence of disease). I would be asking how your bone Mets are being monitored without getting regular bone scans.

[PlutosNose in reply to Gingerann1]

thanks I'll do that!

[Figletf]

I get one every three months because my breast cancer metastisized to bones