How is a bone density test done?
Bone density tests are usually done on bones that are most likely to break because of osteoporosis. These sites include the lumbar vertebrae, which are in the lower region of your spine, the narrow neck of your femur bone adjoining the hip, and the bones of your wrist and forearm. The equipment for bone density tests includes large machines on which you can lie down (central devices) as well as smaller, portable machines that measure bone density on the periphery of your skeleton, such as in your finger, wrist or heel (peripheral devices). Central devices DEXA scan. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans measure the bone density at your hip or spine. This test offers very precise results and is the preferred test for diagnosing osteoporosis. During this test, you lie on a padded platform for a few minutes while an imager — a mechanical arm-like device — passes over your body. It won’t touch you. The test does, however, emit radiation, though your exposure during a bone density t
