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Osteoporosis Screening (DEXA)

Approximately one in two women and one in four men over age 50 will have an osteoporosis related fracture in their remaining lifetime.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is an osteoporosis screening test that measures the bone mineral density.  This should not be confused with a nuclear bone scan which evaluates for fractures, tumors or infections.  The test takes approximately 20 minutes and measures bone density of the spine and both hips. In certain cases, the forearm will also be measured.

These studies are usually covered by insurance (prescription required, no age limit) but can also be obtained as a self pay screening study.

No special prep is required.
Minimal age 40 without a prescription.

Who Should Have a BMD Test?  The following guidelines are provided by the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

There are some reasons (called risk factors) that increase your likelihood of developing osteoporosis. The more risk factors you have, the more likely you are to get osteoporosis and broken bones. Some examples are being small and thin, older age, being female, a diet low in calcium, lack of enough vitamin D, smoking and drinking too much alcohol.

Your healthcare provider may recommend a BMD test if you are:

• A postmenopausal woman under age 65 with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis
• A man age 50-70 with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis
• A woman age 65 or older, even without any risk factors
• A man age 70 or older, even without any risk factors
• A woman or man after age 50 who has broken a bone
• A woman going through menopause with certain risk factors
• A postmenopausal woman who has stopped taking estrogen therapy (ET) or hormone therapy (HT) A man receiving certain treatments for prostate cancer
•  A woman receiving certain treatments for breast cancer
• Overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) or taking high doses of thyroid hormone medication
• Overactive parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism)
• X-ray of the spine showing a fracture or bone loss
• Back pain with a possible fracture
• Significant loss of height
• Loss of sex hormones at an early age, including early menopause
• Having a disease or condition that can cause bone loss (such as rheumatoid arthritis or anorexia nervosa)
• Long-term use of certain medications including steroids (for example,   prednisone and cortisone), some anti-seizure medications, Depo-Provera®
• and aromatase inhibitors (for example, anastrozole, brand name Arimidex®)