Bone Scan vs Bone Density test

joyyee1
joyyee1 Member Posts: 31
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had a bilateral mastectomy almost a year ago and then chemotherapy which ended in August 2010.

I'm currently continuing with Herceptin treatments until April 2011 every 3 weeks.

My oncologist had me scheduled for a Bone Scan but then changed it to a Bone Density test.

These are very different tests.... has anyone had a bone scan after breast cancer??
Should I ask to have one?? Or is the bone density enough??

Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #2
    bone density
    I really don't know but I thought they were the same...but appearntly not...I just had bone density for 2 yr in a row...I only had Radiation..but I THOUGHT More to do with my age..51 now...

    http://www.medicinenet.com/bone_density_scan/article.htm


    http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003833.htm
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #3
    disneyfan2008 said:

    bone density
    I really don't know but I thought they were the same...but appearntly not...I just had bone density for 2 yr in a row...I only had Radiation..but I THOUGHT More to do with my age..51 now...

    http://www.medicinenet.com/bone_density_scan/article.htm


    http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003833.htm

    Dexa scan
    I had a dexa scan done after chemo because osteoporosis is thick on my Mom's side of the family. I know my mother has the bone density scans done yearly for the osteoporosis so I am not real sure what the difference is. I was just no help huh! God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • sgamtd
    sgamtd Member Posts: 124
    #4
    Bone scan vs Bone Density test (Dexascan)
    Hi Joyyee1
    I have had both scans done, and as you mentioned these are very different.
    I had a bone scan looking for cancer before my surgery last year, and I have yearly dexa scans because I have Osteoporosis (diagnosed early nineties) take meds to help increase bone mass as well as meds to prevent cancer. The Aromasin reduces bone density.
    Have you been diagnosed with Osteoporosis ? I never had herceptin, wonder if it reduces bone density ? Hopefully someone will answer your question soon, much better than I can, why don't you call and ask the Onc nurse, and let us know what was said.
    Best wishes
    sgamtd
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #5
    Different tests - show different 'things'.
    I've been getting Bone Density Tests for probably 15 years. I was 44 (end of 1990/early 1991)when I went through natural menopause and there is a history of a lot osteoporosis on both sides of my family so my PA has been testing me annually for years. So far, even with 2 batches of chemo, rads and Femara, my density is staying constant though it could be a bit higher. If i remember correctly only my lower body, hips and upper leg bones are scanned as they are supposed to be the first to show density lose - I could be wrong but that's what I think I remember.

    Bone scan checks for any change in the bones. The bone scan I had before starting Chemo showed something 'hot' along my right lower jaw bone. Had to see an ENT specialist who biopsied the area which came back negative for cancer, which is what he expected as there was no indication of cancer in the area aas far as he could see in exam. He couldn't explain why it had showed 'hot' on the scan but said that probably I had had a very small irritation in the area at the time of the Bone Scan or else there was a 'blip' in the scan.

    Susan
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #6
    Hope this helps--they are not the same test at all
    The bone density test is used to check the health of your bones (which can suffer because of treatments and disease). A bone density test is the gold standard for diagnosing osteoporosis.

    The bone scan is usually used to diagnose breast cancer metastais to bone. It can be done for other reasons, but, for most of us, that is why the docs do them. My doc did not do one though until I began having the rib pain and my CT scan was abnormal. My bone scan in 2009 showed bone mets to the ribs.
  • joyyee1
    joyyee1 Member Posts: 31
    #7
    Bone scan vs Bone Density tests

    Thanks for all the replies. I heard back from the DR and the scheduler had made a mistake. I am to have a bone density test this week which looks for osteoporosis.
    The bone SCAN looks for cancer in the bone.

    Breast cancer can metastasize to the bone....

    Hopefully mine has not at this point!
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #8
    joyyee1 said:

    Bone scan vs Bone Density tests

    Thanks for all the replies. I heard back from the DR and the scheduler had made a mistake. I am to have a bone density test this week which looks for osteoporosis.
    The bone SCAN looks for cancer in the bone.

    Breast cancer can metastasize to the bone....

    Hopefully mine has not at this point!

    I had a bone scan a year or
    I had a bone scan a year or so after treatment because I was having hip pain and they wanted to rule out cancer. Never found out what caused it but it wasn't cancer.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #9
    I have a DEXA (bone density) scan every 2 years....
    Chemo/treatment for the rectal cancer left me full on osteoporotic...this sees how the Actonel/calcium is working....

    One of the potential side effects of the AI's (arrimidex, etc) can be osteoporosis...this scan makes sure that it's not happening, or if it is, there are treatments.

    My bones are the same as a 90-year-old woman...so I need to be careful. I don't FEEL bad...just good to know...so I won't do something like...oh, I don't know...skating on the canal outside our house in The Netherlands (oh, wait, I did that last winter, and may again this winter...ROFL!).

    DEXA is very painless, and you can stay dressed.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #10
    sgamtd said:

    Bone scan vs Bone Density test (Dexascan)
    Hi Joyyee1
    I have had both scans done, and as you mentioned these are very different.
    I had a bone scan looking for cancer before my surgery last year, and I have yearly dexa scans because I have Osteoporosis (diagnosed early nineties) take meds to help increase bone mass as well as meds to prevent cancer. The Aromasin reduces bone density.
    Have you been diagnosed with Osteoporosis ? I never had herceptin, wonder if it reduces bone density ? Hopefully someone will answer your question soon, much better than I can, why don't you call and ask the Onc nurse, and let us know what was said.
    Best wishes
    sgamtd

    I had a bone scan done to
    I had a bone scan done to see if the cancer had gone to my bones. It was the easiest test ever and I got to leave all of my clothes on. LOL Mine was clean, thank God.

    I think bone density is to see how your bones are doing, like if Osteoporosis is in your body.


    Two very different tests and the bone density has nothing to do with cancer that I know of.
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #11
    joyyee1 said:

    Bone scan vs Bone Density tests

    Thanks for all the replies. I heard back from the DR and the scheduler had made a mistake. I am to have a bone density test this week which looks for osteoporosis.
    The bone SCAN looks for cancer in the bone.

    Breast cancer can metastasize to the bone....

    Hopefully mine has not at this point!

    Everyone already explained
    Everyone already explained the difference between the tests. Just wishing you good luck!


    Sue :)
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #12
    Angie2U said:

    I had a bone scan done to
    I had a bone scan done to see if the cancer had gone to my bones. It was the easiest test ever and I got to leave all of my clothes on. LOL Mine was clean, thank God.

    I think bone density is to see how your bones are doing, like if Osteoporosis is in your body.


    Two very different tests and the bone density has nothing to do with cancer that I know of.

    Yup, no naked happy dancing with this one!
    ROFL!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #13
    KathiM said:

    I have a DEXA (bone density) scan every 2 years....
    Chemo/treatment for the rectal cancer left me full on osteoporotic...this sees how the Actonel/calcium is working....

    One of the potential side effects of the AI's (arrimidex, etc) can be osteoporosis...this scan makes sure that it's not happening, or if it is, there are treatments.

    My bones are the same as a 90-year-old woman...so I need to be careful. I don't FEEL bad...just good to know...so I won't do something like...oh, I don't know...skating on the canal outside our house in The Netherlands (oh, wait, I did that last winter, and may again this winter...ROFL!).

    DEXA is very painless, and you can stay dressed.

    Hugs, Kathi

    Kathi stay off the canal or
    Kathi stay off the canal or have lots of padding!!!!!!!!!!!
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #14
    Rague said:

    Different tests - show different 'things'.
    I've been getting Bone Density Tests for probably 15 years. I was 44 (end of 1990/early 1991)when I went through natural menopause and there is a history of a lot osteoporosis on both sides of my family so my PA has been testing me annually for years. So far, even with 2 batches of chemo, rads and Femara, my density is staying constant though it could be a bit higher. If i remember correctly only my lower body, hips and upper leg bones are scanned as they are supposed to be the first to show density lose - I could be wrong but that's what I think I remember.

    Bone scan checks for any change in the bones. The bone scan I had before starting Chemo showed something 'hot' along my right lower jaw bone. Had to see an ENT specialist who biopsied the area which came back negative for cancer, which is what he expected as there was no indication of cancer in the area aas far as he could see in exam. He couldn't explain why it had showed 'hot' on the scan but said that probably I had had a very small irritation in the area at the time of the Bone Scan or else there was a 'blip' in the scan.

    Susan

    I had a bone scan when I
    I had a bone scan when I complained of pain in my back. My oncologist requested one right away to see if I had mets to my bones. I didn't! YEH!


    A bone density test isn't for cancer. Everyone explained it better than I can. LOL


    Good luck!
  • pbrndm5
    pbrndm5 Member Posts: 83
    #15
    Angie2U said:

    I had a bone scan done to
    I had a bone scan done to see if the cancer had gone to my bones. It was the easiest test ever and I got to leave all of my clothes on. LOL Mine was clean, thank God.

    I think bone density is to see how your bones are doing, like if Osteoporosis is in your body.


    Two very different tests and the bone density has nothing to do with cancer that I know of.

    Going fo rbone scan
    I am going for bone scan on Tuesday and Pet scan on Thursday. Just diagnosed in November---confused and scared.

    My Doctor has scheduled surgery for January.

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