After age 30, women start losing bone strength. A T-score higher than -1 indicates normal bone density. Higher T-scores mean higher bone density. It’s caused by losing protein and mineral content, such as calcium. Your T-score compares your bone mass to the bone mass of an average healthy 30 year old adult. Osteoporosis is a weakening of the bones that makes it easier for you to break a bone. These tests can help find osteoporosis or a weakening of bones as you age. You are only exposed to a small amount of radiation-about the amount you get during a cross-country airplane flight. What is a DEXA scan A DEXA scan is a fast, easy, painless test that measures the density of your bones. Bone density tests look for bone problems. These tests are painless, noninvasive, and safe. All you have to do is lie on a bed underneath a scanner while it moves around you to capture images.Ī computer compares your bone strength and risk of fractures to that of other people the same age and to young people at peak bone density (around age 30). A bone density test, also known as bone mass measurement or bone mineral density test, measures the strength and density of your bones as you approach menopause and, when the test is repeated sometime later, can help determine how quickly you are losing bone mass and density. A medical condition or medication to treat such a condition that negatively affects bone. Our bone density scanners use what's called Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) to take a picture of your spine, hip, body and wrist, and calculate their density. Low bone mass can be caused by many factors such as: Heredity. Getting the test is simple, quick and painless. CHA is an easy, convenient place to get your bone density testing done. Your doctor may recommend you get regular bone density tests if you're a woman over 65 or a man over 70, or are at risk of bone loss for other reasons. Osteoporosis may have no symptoms, but it can lead to bone fractures and breaks. A bone density test measures the strength of your bones to see if you have osteoporosis, or bone loss. Over time they lose some of the calcium and other minerals that keep them strong.
If someone is at risk of low bone density or osteoporosis, or shows. Want to speak to someone at Sparrow Radiology Services? Call bones do a lot of work. Healthy and strong bones are essential for keeping active, especially as people grow older. TestingĪ bone density test can help tell if someone has osteoporosis (bone density loss) or if they are at risk for osteoporosis. That allows radiologists to examine bone health and identify sites of osteoporosis. Sparrow offers bone density testing, using a state-of-the-art scanner to determine the density of bones in the hip and spine. The main difference between bone mass and bone density is that the bone mass refers to the amount of bone tissue in the skeleton whereas the bone density refers to the mineral mass per unit volume of bones. Early detection and treatment is essential. A DEXA Bone Density Scan, also called bone densitometry, uses X-rays to measure bone mineral density (BMD), most commonly in the spine, hips or wrists. Early DetectionĪ bone density test can help tell if someone has osteoporosis (loss of bone density) or is at risk of it. Such fractures are especially serious among senior citizens. 5 people over age 50 with: previous bone fracture from minor trauma. Osteoporosis is a progressive and degenerative disease that results in increased risk of fracture to the spine, hip, wrist, arm, and leg. The risk factors for low bone density and primary considerations for a bone density test include: females age 65 or older.
Hospitalists & Internal Medicine Physicians.