The Brain and Spine Institute is made up of experts in the field of neuroscience in order to bring patients the best healthcare in East Tennessee for a full range of neurological diseases and disorders.
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We provide a comprehensive continuum of cancer services, including prevention, outreach, diagnostic, treatment and support services delivered by our highly skilled staff with compassion and care.
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The Center for Women & Children's Health is a hub for supporting women's and children's individual healthcare needs. The center provides support, research and unmatched patient-centered care.
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Emergency and Trauma Services is the only Level I Trauma Center in the area and serves as the tertiary referral center for medical care in East Tennessee, serving Knox County and 21 surrounding counties.
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The Heart Lung Vascular Institute brings together expertise in clinical care, teaching and research. Patients receive exceptional healthcare combined with patient-centered care.
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Bone Joint Scan
Your Medical TestA bone joint scan is performed to evaluate joint pain and/or arthritis. The patient receives an injection of 99m-Technetium-MDP in a vein in the arm and images are obtained 20 minutes and two hours after the injection. Each scan requires approximately 30 minutes to obtain satisfactory images. For each scan, the patient will lie motionless on a bed while the scanner images the bone.
Technetium-99 is a widely-used isotope in Nuclear Medicine. It has a short half-life (6 hours) so that the material quickly leaves body tissues. It emits gamma radiation (high energy photons) of appropriate energy for detection by gamma cameras. The technetium is attached to a pharmaceutical agent (MDP) that localizes in bone that is active or inflamed. No allergic reactions are experienced with this test.
How to Prepare for a Bone Joint Scan- You can eat or drink before the injection and scans.
- You should continue to take any regularly prescribed medications.
- You should drink plenty of liquids and should empty your bladder regularly between the injection and the scan.
- Your should wear comfortable clothes for the procedure. The technologist will need to be able to inject the isotope in a vein at the elbow.
Your doctor will schedule the Bone Joint Scan, then notify you of your appointment time. If you wish to change the appointment, please call central Scheduling (305.8080) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at your earliest convenience. If you have any questions about the procedure, please call Nuclear Medicine (305.9070).
Where Should I Go?- Take the UT Medical Center exit off Alcoa Highway.
- Follow the entrance ramp, which will end at the medical center entrance.
- Follow the overhead sign for Hospital Patients, and turn on the third road on the right (leads to Circle Drive).
- To park, take an immediate right into the Visitor Parking Lot. Enter the hospital at the entrance marked Main Entrance on the front circle.
- To drop off a patient, follow the circular drive to the Main Entrance. Drop off the patient, then park in the Visitor Parking Lot, which will now be on your left.
- Patient Registration is located in the Main Entrance lobby, across from the Information Desk.
After registering, you will proceed to Nuclear Medicine and notify the receptionist of your arrival.
When Will I Receive the Test Results?Images are reviewed by a doctor at the end of the day. When all images have been viewed, a report is prepared within 48 hours. Your physician may receive a faxed interim report immediately after the images have been viewed. Once your doctor has reviewed the report, your doctor will inform you of the test results.
Division of Nuclear Medicine
Department of Radiology
The University of Tennessee Medical Center
1924 Alcoa Highway
Knoxville, TN 37920-6999
865.305.9070