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Who Could Benefit from Bone Density Scanning?
If you are female and over 50 years of age, you are therefore potentially one of the 50% of women in your age profile who have the bone thinning condition, osteoporosis. If you have been through an early menopause (before the age of 45) and if you are of Asian or Caucasian ethnicity, you may be at increased risk of osteoporosis too. In addition, there are certain genetic factors, including a family history of fractures experienced by older female family members and thin or small bones, that drive up the risk. Lifestyle may also have an impact.
Men Are Affected by Osteoporosis Too.
It comes as a surprise to many people to learn that millions of men in America also suffer from osteoporosis. In fact, one in 8 men over the age of 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture. The hips, spine, wrists and ribs are all vulnerable areas, and the results of fracture can be serious, or even fatal.
Bone Density Scanning Can Catch the “Silent Thief”.
“Medical professionals have for some time called osteoporosis ‘the silent thief.’ This condition gives patients and their physicians no warning, until the bone thinning it causes leads to a fracture; the most common sites often are the hip, wrist, and spine. Hip fracture risk alone in women is equal to the combined risk of developing breast, uterine and ovarian cancer.
“So it really is worth knowing the facts about your bone density. That’s why at Radiology of Indiana, we offer the ‘DEXA’ scan as one of our diagnosis services to patients.”
“So it really is worth knowing the facts about your bone density. That’s why at Radiology of Indiana, we offer the “DEXA” scan as one of our diagnostic services to patients. This is a specialized diagnostic approach, involving an x-ray procedure of the lumbar spine and hips that allows us to measure a patient’s bone density and compare it against a relevant control group. This enables us to gain a clear picture of how your bone density is performing compared with how it should be.”
Fast, Non-Invasive, Proven
At Radiology of Indiana, each bone density scan using proven “DEXA” technology is fast (taking typically around 15 minutes only), completely painless, and carried out without any special preparations in advance. There’s no fasting, or any injections or medication involved. The patient can keep all their clothes on and the X-ray dosage is less than one thousandth of the amount involved in a standard chest X-ray.
Accurate Bone Density Information Is Key to An Effective On-Going Treatment Plan.
As soon as we have interpreted the results of your bone density scan, we will pass them on to your primary physician, so that they are in the best possible position to plan an effective treatment regime with you. Of course, your scan may indicate that you have no osteoporosis related concerns. But even if an issue is detected, you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you can move forward based on high quality information.
Your own physician will advise on any specific steps that can be taken to protect bone health. These may include medication, such as calcium supplements. The physician will also be better informed when it comes to predicting risk of any future bone fractures.
