Not always conclusively.  They can see "there is something going on",
but not definitely cancer.  The primary test for bone mets is an isotope
bone scan, although even that also lights up for arthritis and needs
skilled interpretation.  Unfortunately this is an expensive test and
incurs a significant radiation burden, so is not undertaken lightly.

The early symptoms of mets can mimic common conditions.  They can't go
doing bone scans on ever cancer survivor who has a backache or headache.
 One of the distinguishing characteristics of mets is that it increases
slowly but relentlessly over time, whereas most other conditions either
stabilise, clear up spontaneously in a few months or come and go.  So
steady deterioration and failure to respond to treatment for common
conditions is what the are looking for (or rather, hoping not to see).

In my wife's case it was backache.  She went to see the oncologist, who
referred her to a physiotherapist and eventually to an orthopaedic
surgeon. He x-rayed her, declared she had probable mets and referred her
back to the oncologist, who then ordered a bone scan and confirmed it.

New tests are appearing which can detect mets less invasively but as yet
they are either unreliable, especially in the early stages, or not
widely available.

Tim

Well, the headaches are still here.

Marni