Does post treatment CT scan look at bone health?

Scans, including CT's, are protocolled depending on what they're looking for.  CT's can be done to evaluate different body parts or different tissues within the body part, including bone.  For example they're pretty good at evaluating for fractures.  They're not the best test for looking at bone for mestastatic disease.

When you say "bone health" do you mean bone density?  A scan looking for evidence of cancer doesn't evaluate bone density.

I don't think it's standard practice to order post treatment ct or bone scans unless you have symptoms.

I only have a yearly mammogram and ultrasound to check my breasts and a yearly DEXA scan to check my bone mineral desity.

Yes, a CT scan can pick up bone issues. I am a CT tech. A CT scan can be of any part of the body and bone lesions or areas suspicious for mets can be seen on a scan, whether soft tissue or bone.When scanning an area of the body, say the chest, bones, organs, and other soft tissues are seen. What the scan does is takes the body part, slices it like a loaf of bread and then puts it all together to form the image. You can't scan an area without getting images of all tissues and bones in the area scanned.



A bone scan would be needed for density and that os not a CT. But, a CT most definitely can detect mets, fractures and other bone abnormalities.

While I have periodic CT/PET scans for my BC which may detect any bone anomalies, my oncologist always wants the reports from my every other year bone density scan ordered by my PCP.  The radiologist reading the scan knows I have been diagnosed with BC and always reports if he sees any evidence of osteolytic or osteoblastic lesions on the bones. He hasn't seen any to date.

Yes it can. I once had a Cat scan guided bone biopsy.  They pushed me through the Cat scanner, located the bone they wanted to biopsy and did the biopsy right there. Try to get a 64 slice scanner.  They can see things better.

Bone scans only tell you if there is an uptake of the injection contrast. They don't diagnose the problem. An extra test like an MRI, an xray a Pet scan, a biopsy or a Cat scan may be needed after a bone scan.

ElaineM

Sydneybased - I just re-read your OP - if you are worried about osteoporosis then a bone denisty test is what you need. My onc ordered one for me recently but said to wait until after the end of June as apparently they will then be covered by Medicare - as I remember, it was only $75 anyway. It will be interesting to see how it's going after nearly 2 years on an AI and 4 lots of Zometa infusions.

Ok - then probably not - can you ask your oncologist or breast surgeon? I definitely had 2 scans one CT and one bone CT scan.