Diagnosis of bone tumours

X-rays are often highly suggestive of a bone cancer but the critical test is the biopsy (where the doctor obtains a piece of the tumour to examine down the microscope). The doctor will then request staging scans: MR imaging is the best scan for delineating the extent of the tumour in the involved bone, whereas CT scanning of the thorax is the best scan for determining whether there are lung metastases and isotope bone scanning is best for determining whether there are bone metastases – the two commonest sites for distant relapse.