| Default Silo Topic Recycle Bin Bone Density Test for Osteoporosis dmtTAP
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Bone Density Test for Osteoporosis What is the test? Osteoporosis is the condition of having weak or thin bones, which are more susceptible fracture, even with minimal injury. Osteoporosis can result in vertebral fractures, which cause a stooping-over of the spine. Osteoporosis can also make hip fractures more likely to happen, a major problem for older people. Because there are now some treatments to help build up bones in patients who have osteoporosis, it is helpful to have a test that will show how thin a patient's bones are. This test is the "bone density" test, also called "bone densitometry." Bone densitometry is a specialized kind of x-ray that not only generates a picture by using x-ray beams but also detects how much the x-ray beams have changed after they have passed through bones. The amount of change in the x-ray beam's intensity shows doctors how dense, or thick, the bones are that are being studied. You might have your bone density measured with an x-ray of the spine, of the hip, or of the wrist. All will give close to the same information, since the density of one bone usually tells your doctor how dense the other bones in your body are likely to be. How do I prepare for the test? Be sure to tell your doctor if you might be pregnant. What happens when the test is performed? For the spine or hip bone density measurements, you will lie on a table that has an overhanging cover, resembling a tanning bed. You will probably be asked to wear a hospital gown. The bone density measurement takes only several minutes to complete. What risks are there from the test? This test does not have any significant risks. As with all x-rays, there is a small exposure to radiation. In large amounts, exposure to radiation can cause cancers or (in pregnant women) birth defects. The amount of radiation from x-ray tests is very small — about the amount of radiation you get from a cross-country flight (when you are closer to the radiation in our atmosphere). This is too small an amount to be likely to cause any harm. Must I do anything special after the test is over? No. How long is it before the result of the test is known? When the results are reported (usually within a few days), you will be told two "scores," the "T Score" and the "Z Score." A positive score means your bones are stronger than average, and a negative score means that your bones are weaker than average. The "T Score" shows how your bones compare to the whole population. The "Z Score" allows you to compare yourself with other people your own age, since bones naturally thin with aging. Using the "Z score" you can see if your bone thickness is better or worse than is expected for your age. If you have a T score that is below -2.5, you have weaker bones than 95% of people, and you have osteoporosis.
From Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide by Harvard Medical School. Copyright © 1999 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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