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BONE SCANS
A bone scan involves injections of low level radioactive material
and therefore we have to go to the Nuclear Medicine department, housed
in the basement of our hospital.
A radioactive injection had already been made up for me and it was on
the table in the treatment room in a small lead-lined box. Both the
box and the syringe were plastered with radioactivity warning stickers!
The nurse inserted a cannula into a vein (as for a drip) and drew a
small amount of blood. The blood was mixed with the radioactive injection
and then injected back through the cannula. I didn't feel anything.
I had to go away for 30 minutes to allow the injection to circulate
through the system.
I kept my clothes on for the scan. I lay down on a table which was then
raised into position. The radiographer pulled straps across my body
to help me keep still (the table is very narrow), but I wasn't tied
down and felt that I could escape at any time! The scanner was housed
in a large box which looks very reminiscent of my Granny's old cooker
extraction hood(!) This was moved into position just above me. I had
to lie as still as I could while the scanner moved very slowly the length
of my body from head to feet. The scanner was very close - only a couple
of centimetres from the end of my nose, but it was OK, especially as
I could see out at both sides of the machine.
The scan took about 20 minutes. A radiographer was in the room with
me all the time.
I went home straight after. I felt quite normal. I was advised not to
let small children sit on my knee for 24 hours because of the radioactivity!