Skeletal Survey vs Bone Scan

Skeletal Survey:
- X-rays of the major bones of the body, including chest, spine, skull, pelvis, femora, and humeri
- Used to diagnose fractures, bone metastasis, osteomyelitis, assessment after a trauma, degenerative conditions of the bone, child abuse


Bone Scan - nuclear medicine scan:
- Uses a radionuclide tracer (technetium 99m MDP) that accumulates in areas of bone turnover and increased osteoblast activity
- Used to diagnose fractures hard to diagnose on xrays, bone metastases, osteomyelitis, metabolic disorders of the bone (ie: Paget disease of the bone, hyperPTH, renal osteodystrophy), primary bone tumors


Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA scan):
- Measure bone mineral density
- Used to diagnose and follow osteoporosis