The results are usually reported in g/cm2 and T-score format, and are compared to a reference population. Results may take a few days to receive, depending on the doctor’s office. This test can also measure your body composition, such as body fat and muscle mass. DEXA scan results can provide helpful details about your risk for osteoporosis (bone loss) and fractures (bone breaks). The images are then sent to an expert who reads them. Bone density test results A bone density test determines the bone mineral density (BMD). A DEXA scan is an imaging test that measures bone density (strength). The patient may need to remain in this position for the entire time, and may also be asked to rest their legs on a padded platform. The test is performed in a doctor’s office and requires the patient to lie on a padded table. This type of test is fast, noninvasive, and produces accurate results with minimal radiation. No density tests had been done until recently, when his new doctor suggested they do one. The T-score refers to the density of a person’s bones when compared with the average bone density of a young person of the same sex. Osteoporosis causes weakened bones and a higher-than-normal risk of fractures. It is highly accurate and can detect bone density losses of up to 2% per year. The results of bone density tests are shown as a T-score. It uses two different X-ray beams and compares the amounts of each beam that is blocked by bone with the amounts of light absorbed by soft tissue. The referring physician will discuss the results with you.ĭual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most accurate way to measure bone density. Small changes in bone mineral density are not significant. After the test, the radiologist will analyze the images and will send a report to your primary care physician. You’ll want to look at all the results, not just the summary page. Follow-ups may also be necessary if you’re taking high doses of steroid medication. However, your doctor may order repeat tests if you notice a significant change in your bone density. If your T-score is –2.5 or less: you have osteoporosis, even if you haven't yet broken a bone.You should have your bone density test performed at least once every two years.If your T-score is between –1 and –2.5: you have low bone density, known as osteopenia, but not osteoporosis.If your T-score is –1 or greater: your bone density is considered normal.The World Health Organization has established the following classification system for bone density: The DEXA scan or ultrasound will give you a number called a T-score, which represents how close you are to average peak bone density. DEXA accomplishes this with only one-tenth of the radiation exposure of a standard chest x-ray and is considered the gold standard for osteoporosis screening-though ultrasound, which uses sound waves to measure bone mineral density at the heel, shin, or finger, is also used at health fairs and in some medical offices. The DEXA scan results will indicate whether a person. The T-score is measured in standard deviations (SD) and defines whether your bone mass is in the normal range, or whether you have osteopenia (an intermediate. While this technology can measure bone density at any spot in the body, it is usually used to measure it at the lumbar spine (in the lower back), hip (a specific site in the hip near the hip joint), and femoral neck (the top of the thighbone, or femur). The test is performed by passing low energy X-rays through a bone, most often of the lower spine and hips. If your bones are less dense than the average adult, your standard deviation may be -2 or -3 indicating that your bone mass is 2030 below that of the average 30 year old. Your score can help you access your risk of developing a bone fracture as you. And it's simple: you lie on a table while a scanner passes over your body. If your bones are stronger than the average adult, your bone mass may be +1 or +2 SD indicating that your bones have a mass 1020 above that of the average 30 year old. Having a bone density test is the only way to definitively diagnose osteoporosis. The process is quick, taking only five minutes. To be able to comprehend the bone density test results, you need to have an understanding of the T-score and Z-score. For this procedure, a machine sends x-rays through bones in order to calculate bone density. Several technologies can assess bone density, but the most common is known as dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Bone Mineral Density Test: Purpose, Procedure, and Results A bone mineral density test examines segments of your bone through X-rays to detect osteoporosis.
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