Why measure bone density?
Low bone density is the greatest risk factor for spine and hip fractures. Each year there are approximately 700,000 spine fractures and 250,000 hip fractures in the United States. More than 90% of these occur in people with bone density measurement in the osteoporotic range. The association between low bone density and osteoporotic fracture is similar to the association between cholesterol and heart disease, or blood pressure and stroke. Like cholesterol level and blood pressure, bone density is a risk factor that can be changed. You can’t do much about other risk factors such as age, sex, race, or genetic background, but low bone mass can be prevented and treated. Your physician can use the results of a bone density test to determine if medication to prevent or treat osteoporosis is advisable for you. What is DXA? DXA bone density studies of the spine and hip are considered the “gold standard” for diagnosing osteoporosis and following changes in bone density over time. DXA stands for
