Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone density decreases, making bones brittle and prone to fractures. It is estimated that at age 50, a woman has nearly a 40% chance of developing an osteoporotic fracture during her remaining lifetime. A woman’s lifetime risk of hip fracture alone is equal to the combined risk of developing breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer. Women who suffer hip fractures are up to 20% are more likely to die within one year of the fracture than those of a similar age who haven’t suffered a hip fracture. It is, therefore, important for women to identify their risk for developing osteoporosis.
Procedure Description
DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) is the most accurate and advanced test available for measuring bone density. Its results are reproducible, allowing measurements to be taken over time to show progression of disease or improvement in bone density due to treatment. Minimal radiation (less than 1/20 of a chest X-ray) is used to determine the bone density of the spine, hip or wrist. A DEXA test is more sensitive than ordinary X-rays, more accurate than heel measurements and can diagnose bone loss at an earlier stage. Safe and painless, the 10 minute DEXA scan is the most reliable test to determine even the earliest stages of bone loss associated with osteoporosis.
