- Indications:
    - to rule out another lesion, such as osteoid-osteoma, infection, or malignant disease;
    - w/ clinically suspected spondylolysis that but cannot be confirmed w/ x-rays;
    - for detection of small or partial fractures & areas of increased bone turnover at site of a healing fracture;
           - bone scans will be positive in patients who have had symptoms for only five to seven days;
           - there is a stress-reaction stage before fracture which may be detected initially by radioactive bone-scanning;
    - to distinguish between patients w/ established non-union versus patients
           w/ slowly healing frx (who would benefit from immobilization);
           - to assess recovery from frx and to determine when athlete can return to competition;
           - bone scans allow an assessment of the acuity of the lesion, with increased uptake seen with acute lesions;

- Contra-indications:
    - patients who have had symptoms for > 1 year or those who are asymptomatic;
    - bone scans are not indicated once the lesion has become established

Bone scintigraphy in symptomatic spondylolysis.

Bone scintigraphy in the assessment of spondylolysis in patients attending a sports injury clinic.