Radionuclide studies of bone metabolism: Do bone uptake and bone plasma clearance provide equivalent measurements of bone turnover?

► Radionuclide imaging provides information about regional bone metabolism. ► Studies are quantified by measuring either bone uptake or bone plasma clearance. ► We compared these two approaches in two studies of the anabolic agent teriparatide. ► In both studies the treatment changed the concentration of tracer in plasma. ► As a result clearance gave a truer impression of response to treatment than uptake.