The appearance of bone scans following fractures, including immediate and long-term studies

Bone scans were performed on 204 patients at intervals ranging from 6 hr to several years after traumatic fractures. The minimum time for a bone scan to become abnormal following fracture was age-dependent; however, 80% of all fractures were abnormal by 24 hr, and 95% by 72 hr, after injury. Three distinct temporally related phases were noted on bone scans as sequential studies showed a gradual return to normal. The minimum time for a fracture to return to normal on a bone scan was 5 mo. Approximately 90% of the fractures returned to normal by 2 yr after injury.