Scintigraphy

Scintigraphy is occasionally used in the diagnosis of lameness. Scintigraphy is a form of bone imaging in which a short acting chemical which is specifically absorbed by bone is administered and which is then detected by a special camera. This allows identification of regions of bone in which there is increased bone cell activity. This technique can be useful in detecting early bone disease which other forms of imaging such as radiography (X rays) may fail to identify.

Scintigraphic images of a dog which presented with a forelimb lameness. The images show increased isotope uptake in the region of the elbow joint suggestive of active disease in this region.