The decision to have a BMD test should be made in collaboration with your health care provider. Who should have a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) test? A BMD test is the only way to accurately determine if you have osteoporosis before a bone breaks. Dual X-ray Absorptionmetry (DXA) of the hip and spine is the preferred method to diagnosis osteoporosis. A bone mineral density test is an easy, reliable test that measures the density, or thickness, of your bones. You cannot see or feel your bones getting thinner. What is a Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Test? All Health Care Professionals & Patient Safety.Clinical Guidelines, Standards & Quality of Care.Health & Safety in the Home, Workplace & Outdoors.Birth, Death, Marriage & Divorce Records.They can also offer lifestyle advice, to help you protect your bones.
Your doctor may suggest another scan in the future, to monitor your bone health. If your T-score is in the normal or osteopenia range, and you don't have any other risk factors for osteoporosis, you don't need further tests, or a treatment. If your risk of breaking a bone is high, they can consider a treatment to help strengthen your bones. The results of your fracture risk assessment tell your doctor whether you need an osteoporosis medication. This test takes into account all your osteoporosis risk factors, including your bone density, to calculate your risk of breaking a bone. it's likely you also need a fracture risk assessment. you have a combination of a number of other risk factors for osteoporosis.you're taking a medication or have a medical condition that is known to affect bone strength.If your T-score is in the osteoporosis range, or you have other risk factors for osteoporosis, such as: In this situation your doctor suggests further tests. Having a low Z score may indicate that another condition or medicine is affecting your bone density levels. You may be given your results as a Z-score, alongside your T-score.Ī Z-score compares your bone density to people of the same age as you. Your results from this test are usually used alongside a fracture risk assessment, which takes these other risk factors into account. Having low bone density is one risk factor for osteoporosis and broken bones. It doesn't necessarily mean you will break a bone, or need a treatment. If your T-score is in the osteoporosis range, it doesn't always need to be a cause for concern. -2.5 and below - Your bone density is in the osteoporosis range.-1 to -2.5 - Your bone density is slightly below the normal range for a young and healthy person, also known as osteopenia.+1 to -1 - Your bone density is in the normal range for a young and healthy person.By the age of 75, 50% of the population has a bone density in the osteoporosis range. Whatever score you receive, your risk of breaking a bone increases as you grow older. Results are given as a 'standard deviation', which is the number of units above or below the average bone density of a young and healthy person. The results of your scan tell your doctor how much bone tissue you have in the areas tested. Although you may be referred for a VFA scan separately.Ī VFA scan is similar to a bone density scan, although you may need to lie on your side for part of the procedure. It is sometimes carried out at the same time as your bone density scan, using the same machine. This type of scan helps to identify broken bones in the spine without needing an additional x-ray.
Your results are usually available from your doctor, a few days later. You may be asked to move your legs so the machine can reach the right area. A scanning arm passes over your body and takes an image of your spine and hips - two of the most common places that bones break. In most cases, you're asked to lie on your back, on a firm couch. You don’t go into a tunnel, or need an injection. Rest assured the procedure isn’t unpleasant. You may have to change into a hospital gown before your scan. The scan takes 10 to 20 minutes, and is usually carried out by a radiographer, a DEXA technician or a specially trained nurse. It's similar to natural background radiation that you would expect on a transatlantic flight. The scan uses a low radiation dose, so it's not harmful. In most cases, a bone density scan uses a type of X-ray called dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. It can't measure how strong your bone tissue is, or how likely you are to break a bone. By itself, a bone density scan can only tell your doctor how much bone tissue you have. The results from this scan are usually used alongside a fracture risk assessment to assess your risk of breaking a bone.
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