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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffWhen you think of bones, you may picture dry, brittle structures similar to what you'd find in a museum. But the bones inside your body are anything but static — they're alive and active, providing support for your body and serving as your body's warehouse for important minerals. Inside some of your bones is a soft core called bone marrow that manufactures blood cells.
The process of bone growth and renewal is part of your body's metabolism — natural processes that create and use energy. Changes in your bone metabolism can be caused by a number of problems. To get a picture of your bone metabolism, your doctor may order a procedure called a bone scan. A radiologist will look for evidence of abnormal metabolism on images from your bone scan.
Your doctor may order a bone scan to help diagnose subtle or hidden bone fractures, such as a stress fracture, that may not show up on a routine X-ray. Bone scans can also help detect other conditions as well.
