What are those “hot spots” showing up on my childs bone scans that the doctor calls “growth plates”?
The growth plates are the areas of the skeleton where tissue comprised of cartilage is being made into bone. The skeleton of the fetus in the womb is made up mostly of cartilage. As pregnancy continues, bone develops, but even when the child is born, there are still areas that are a cartilage/bone combo (the growth plates). In the long bones, such as the arms and legs, there are growth plates at each end. Growth plates are areas of intense activity until the child reaches mid to late teens, or in other words, until they stop growing. At this point the bones are said to have fused. It’s because of the activity taking place in these areas that growth plates will generally appear as a hot spot on an mIBG scan. Areas of healing bone (for example, in the case of a fracture), will also show up as a hot spot.
Related Questions
- If my child sustains a fracture or broken bone and goes to school with a cast, do I need a doctors note for him or her to attend school?
- What are those "hot spots" showing up on my childs bone scans that the doctor calls "growth plates"?
- I think my child might have the H1N1 flu. Can I ask my doctor to put them on antivirals?
