What tests can be done to confirm the diagnosis of osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis can be confirmed by bone-density testing. This is usually suggested for women over 65, postmenopausal women with risk factors of osteoporosis or who have had a fracture. Young women or men who have risk factors for osteoporosis such as having an eating disorder or loss of menses should also consider being tested. Currently, the most accurate technique for determining bone density is dual x-ray absorpitometry (DEXA). The measurements are made by detecting the extent to which bones absorb photons that are generated by very low-level x-rays. This test is painless and quick. When the bone mineral density is 2.5 standard deviations below the average for young adults, a diagnosis of osteoporosis is made. If the bone mineral density is between 1 and 2.5 standard deviations below the norm, a patient is diagnosed with osteopoenia, a slightly less advanced form of weakened bones.
