If your results show you have low bone density, your health care provider will recommend steps to prevent further bone loss. These may include:. Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results. A DEXA scan is the most common way to measure bone density. But your health care provider may order more tests to confirm a diagnosis or to find out if bone loss treatment is working.
The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Bone Density Scan.
What is a bone density scan? What is it used for? A bone density scan is used to: Diagnose osteopenia low bone mass Diagnose osteoporosis Predict risk of future fractures See if treatment for osteoporosis is working. Why do I need a bone density scan? You may also be at risk for low bone density if you: Have a very low body weight Have had one or more fractures after the age of 50 Have lost a half inch or more in height within one year Are a man over the age of 70 Have a family history of osteoporosis Other risk factors include: Lack of physical activity Smoking cigarettes Heavy drinking Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet.
What happens during a bone density scan? You will probably be able to leave your clothes on. You may need to lie with your legs straight, or you may be asked to rest your legs on a padded platform. A scanning machine will pass over your lower spine and hip. The most common drugs to treat bone loss are Fosamax generic alendronate and Actonel generic risedronate. These drugs have benefits and risks to think about and discuss with your health care provider.
Common side effects include upset stomach, difficulty swallowing, and heartburn. Rare side effects include bone, joint and muscle pain, cracks in the thighbones, bone loss in the jaw, and heart rhythm problems.
Other drugs used to treat bone loss also have risks, including blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, and serious infections. The treatments have limited benefits in some patients.
Many people are given drugs because they have mild bone loss, but there is little evidence that these drugs help them. Even if the drugs do help, they may only help for a few years, so you may want to consider them only if you have serious bone loss. The instruments used for these tests are called peripheral devices and are often used at health fairs. Because bone density can vary from one location in your body to another, a measurement taken at your heel usually isn't as accurate a predictor of fracture risk as a measurement taken at your spine or hip.
Consequently, if your test on a peripheral device is positive, your doctor might recommend a follow-up scan at your spine or hip to confirm your diagnosis.
Your T-score is your bone density compared with what is normally expected in a healthy young adult of your sex. Your T-score is the number of units — called standard deviations — that your bone density is above or below the average.
Your score is a sign of osteopenia, a condition in which bone density is below normal and may lead to osteoporosis. Your Z-score is the number of standard deviations above or below what's normally expected for someone of your age, sex, weight, and ethnic or racial origin. If your Z-score is significantly higher or lower than the average, you may need additional tests to determine the cause of the problem. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview A bone density test determines if you have osteoporosis — a disorder characterized by bones that are more fragile and more likely to break. Bone density Open pop-up dialog box Close. To assess the hip, the patient's foot is placed in a brace that rotates the hip inward. In both cases, the detector is slowly passed over the area, generating images on a computer monitor.
You must hold very still and may need to hold your breath for a few seconds while the technologist takes the x-ray. This helps reduce the possibility of a blurred image. The technologist will walk behind a wall or into the next room to activate the x-ray machine. The peripheral tests are simpler.
The finger, hand, forearm or foot is placed in a small device that obtains a bone density reading within a few minutes. VFA is a low-dose x-ray examination of the spine to screen for vertebral fractures that is performed on the DXA machine. The DXA bone density test is usually completed within 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the equipment used and the parts of the body being examined. You will probably be asked to fill out a questionnaire that will help the doctor determine if you have medical conditions or take certain medications that either increase or decrease your risk of a fracture.
The World Health Organization has recently released an online survey that combines the DXA results and a few basic questions and can be used to predict year risk of hip fracture or other major osteoporotic fractures for post-menopausal women. Routine evaluations every two years may be needed to see a significant change in bone mineral density, decrease or increase.
Few patients, such as patients on high dose steroid medication, may need follow-up at six months. A radiologist , a doctor trained to supervise and interpret radiology examinations, will analyze the images.
The radiologist will send a signed report to your primary care or referring physician who will discuss the results with you. DXA scans are also interpreted by other physicians such as rheumatologists and endocrinologists. A clinician should review your DXA scan while assessing the presence of clinical risk factors such as:.
T score — This number shows the amount of bone you have compared with a young adult of the same gender with peak bone mass. A score of -1 and above is considered normal. A score between A score of The T score is used to estimate your risk of developing a fracture and also to determine if treatment is required. Z score — This number reflects the amount of bone you have compared with other people in your age group and of the same size and gender.
If this score is unusually high or low, it may indicate a need for further medical tests. Small changes may normally be observed between scans due to differences in positioning and usually are not significant. Doctors take special care during x-ray exams to use the lowest radiation dose possible while producing the best images for evaluation. National and international radiology protection organizations continually review and update the technique standards radiology professionals use.
Modern x-ray systems minimize stray scatter radiation by using controlled x-ray beams and dose control methods. This ensures that the areas of your body not being imaged receive minimal radiation exposure. Please type your comment or suggestion into the text box below. Note: we are unable to answer specific questions or offer individual medical advice or opinions. Some imaging tests and treatments have special pediatric considerations. The teddy bear denotes child-specific content.
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