Osteoporosis is diagnosed with a bone density scan (also referred to as bone density test or bone mineral density test or by the medical name DXA test). It is a simple scan that measures the density of your bones at the hip and spine.
Your doctor may use x-ray, body CT, spine CT or a bone density scan to help diagnose your condition and assess your risk for fracture. Osteoporosis may cause vertebral compression fractures in the spine; if painful, these fractures may be treated with vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. What is osteoporosis?
The most common test for measuring bone mineral density is dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). It is a quick, painless, and noninvasive test.
Scanning of the axial skeleton by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard in Australia for the measurement of bone mineral density (BMD). DXA is a diagnostic tool for osteoporosis or osteopenia, enabling doctors to determine the extent of bone loss for clinical decision making.
Blood tests are another method used to diagnose certain bone diseases. One example is osteoporosis, where blood tests are used to determine risk factors and rule out other illnesses.
There typically are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. But once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you might have signs and symptoms that include: Back pain, caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra. Loss of height over time.
Types of marker include the following: Bone resorption - Urine NTX or serum CTX or urine CTX. Bone formation - Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase or osteocalcin (Use 1 marker or 1 resorption and 1 formation marker.)
Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry — Experts agree that the most useful and reliable bone density test is a specialized kind of x-ray called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, or DXA.
A bone density scan uses low dose X-rays to see how dense (or strong) your bones are. You may also hear it called a DEXA scan. Bone density scans are often used to diagnose or assess your risk of osteoporosis, a health condition that weakens bones and makes them more likely to break.
Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include: Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill. Risedronate (Actonel), a weekly or monthly pill.
Bone mineral density (BMD) testing (DXA) is recommended for women ≥65 years, postmenopausal women with risk factors, and men ≥70 years or younger men with risk factors (see Screening for details).
Sudden, severe back pain that gets worse when you are standing or walking with some relief when you lie down. Trouble twisting or bending your body, and pain when you do. Loss of height.
Bone loss begins to occur at an approximate rate of 0.25% a year and is variable depending on many genetic and environmental factors. This may be considered the second stage towards osteopenia and/or osteoporosis. It is important to understand that this is a perfectly normal part of the aging process.
Osteoporosis is difficult to pinpoint until a bone is broken. Measuring bone density by way of a test called dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most accurate and reliable way of assessing the strength of bones and diagnosing osteoporosis (see also DXA scan and other tests for osteoporosis).
DEXA stands for “dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.” Medical experts consider DEXA scans to be the most useful, easy, and inexpensive test for helping to diagnose osteoporosis. The test is quick and painless.
The Australian Government provides Medicare rebates for certain diagnostic imaging services and not all patients are eligible for Bone Densitometry (DEXA) Medicare rebate Items 12306 to 12322). To be eligible for a Medicare rebate, the Bone Densitometry must meet specific criteria, refer to Medicare schedule.
70-74 years of age the average T-score is -1.69 SD and the decrease in Z-score to those who are osteoporotic is 1.31 (Table 38). This will equate to an increased risk of hip fracture in group B of 2.78 1.31 = 3.82 (see Table 18). ... ... risk for a woman aged 70-74 years can now be estimated at any T-score.
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes weak, thinning bones. This leaves the bones at greater risk of breaking. The bones most often affected are the hips, spine, and wrists. Women are 4 times more likely to get osteoporosis than men because of a decrease in estrogen after menopause.
Eating foods that have a lot of salt (sodium) causes your body to lose calcium and can lead to bone loss. Try to limit the amount of processed foods, canned foods and salt added to the foods you eat each day. To learn if a food is high in sodium, look at the Nutrition Facts label.
The appearance of a widow's hump or a fractured wrist or hip from a fall may be the first actual symptoms of osteoporosis unless your doctor has been measuring your bone density. Men also should watch for a loss of height, change in posture or sudden back pain.
A bone density test cannot be taken at home.
Bone markers are blood and urine tests that detect products of bone remodeling to help determine if the rate of bone resorption and/or formation is abnormally increased, suggesting a potential bone disorder.