A “super” scan refers to a unique pattern seen on a bone scan. Its cause is known with most conditions but in a few the mechanism is unclear.
Criteria for a “Super Scan”:
(1) diffuse, symmetrical increase in bone uptake of the marker
(2) faint activity in the kidneys (usually ascribed to rapid uptake in bone, so that none reaches the kidneys)
Malignant conditions that can cause a super scan:
(1) myelofibrosis (agnogenic myeloid metaplasia)
(2) malignant lymphoma
(3) multiple myeloma
(4) diffuse metastatic carcinoma (breast, lung, prostate, colon, transitional cell)
Conditions with an osteodystrophy causing the super scan:
(1) hyperparathyroidism
(2) renal osteodystrophy
(3) osteomalacia
(4) acromegaly
(5) hyperthyroidism
(6) hypervitaminosis D
(7) Paget’s disease
(8) other diffuse osteodystrophy
Other conditions:
(1) mastocytosis
To read more or access our algorithms and calculators, please log in or register.
Specialty: Hematology Oncology
