I went yesterday and had a 3 phase bone scan and an EMG/NCV per the VAs orders. On the way home I had to pass through a Border Patrol check point. Me not thinking anything of it am exhausted and so is my mother in law and newest LO. We get up to the BP and he asks if we're both US citizens we say ues. Then he asked if anyone has had a medical procedure and I say yes I had a 3 phase bone scan and nerve conduction dome. He said pull into bay 1 we need to check this out. After 3 passes of a drug dog, and 2 passes of a radiation tester I finally catch on to what's going on lol. I "glowed" on the cameras lol. So in my exhausted state I start laughing and can't stop. The guy was trying to be patient and I could see it. They take my info, and call it in that I glowed on the cameras and wasn't a drug transporter lol. It was so funny to me. I called my husband and told him what happened and he started laughing too. I called my father in law and told him that I was a glow worm lol. Just a funny story to lighten the day.

That is funny! I'm glad that you could see some humor in this situation!

Good luck to you on your test results!

I know the Dr that did the nerve conduction said that it was crps but only that I jave arthritis from the bone scan. Its also a waiting game on what the VA decides on my disability. So now I have 2 Dr's that say I have crps. Oh and I got o educate a PA student on crps. Made me feel good when the dr told me to explain what crps is to her and how it felt to me. I also told her that no 2 crps patients are the same.

Glad you could find humor in that...I would be laughing too!!

Those bone scans are so inconclusive. I had one on my right hand and it came back normal. This was in 2009 and I definitely had RSD/CRPS in my hand, and it spread on from there.

Good luck!!
Nanc

How does a bone scan help assess CRPS? Are they looking for lloss of bone density?

They look for blood flow and blood pooling in the affected area.

As I understood what a 3 phase bone scan will do is to look at the effects CRPS is having on the bones. Since CRPS can cause osteopenia due to reduced blood flow & neurogenic edema and osteoporosis from disuse, reduced weight bearing and nutritional deficits from the affects it plays on our GI tract etc.

Thermography (I think) is what looks for blood pooling or changes in temperature and has been used by many doctors to confirm CRPS/RSD, although that is now considered less than reliable for diagnostic purposes.

Hey Tessa! What is thermography? I've never heard of that.

I was told when I had my 3-phase bone scan that it checked for blood pooling and flow. And that is what I read online too...and that it is not very reliable. Did not know about it showing those other things??

Ditto what Birclake said!!!

Hey sorry Nanc, I was a bit vague in my response and I wasn't saying you were wrong just adding that the reason for the testing is to look at your bones - the flow or lack thereof would be considered part of the reason/confirmation if in fact, say osteopenia was found if that makes sense. As you may have read online and as the title suggests 3 phase bone scans have just that 3 phases to them each giving different information about how pathology surrounding or affecting our bones. In the first phase it looks for things like inflammation or tumors, in the second phase it looks for vascular changes causing abnormal blood flow to the bones (need good blood flow to the bones & marrow to keep the bones healthy) and in the third phase it looks for how the quickly your bone is replenishing itself. Bone is constantly reforming and essentially replacing itself. With CRPS especially those with Cold CRPS we suffer from lack of blood flow to affected limb(s) and this causes bone loss (osteoporosis) and pitting (osteopenia).

Thermography is actually infrared imaging that looks out our bodies temperature or blood flow in a different way and without additional radiation. It cannot detect changes in the bone structure but it can see where blood is pooling/flowing indicating a warmer image or lack of flow showing the colder body parts.

I do hope you are feeling better, you have been on my mind!