Oncologic | Metastatic disease in skeleton (e.g. prostate, lung, breast, neuroblastoma) | Perform initial evaluation (staging) |
| Assess response of skeletal metastases to therapy |
| | Detect skeletal metastases during follow-up |
| Bone pain in patients with known cancer | |
| Primary bone tumors | Identify sites of disease (initial staging) |
| | Assess response to therapy |
| | Differentiate postoperative changes from residual/recurrent disease |
| | Detect recurrent/metastatic disease during follow-up |
Benign bone | Pediatric/young adult back pain | Assess vertebral spondylolysis |
| | Assess other stress injuries |
| Bone viability | Assess femoral head avascular necrosis |
| | Assess bone graft viability (long bones, mandible) |
| Paget's disease | Assess extent of disease |
| | Monitor response to therapy |