![]() Z score - This number compares your amount of bone with others of your age, gender, and size. A score of -2.5 and below indicates osteoporosis. A score between -1.1 and -2.4 is considered to be low bone mass or osteopenia. T score - This number shows how much bone you have compared with a young adult of your gender who has peak bone mass. This doctor will interpret your results and send that report to the physician who referred you, who will review them with you. Your results will be read by a UCSF doctor of radiology with experience in bone health. You’ll be asked to remove any jewelry, eyeglasses, removable metal dental appliances, and any other metal objects that might interfere with X-rays.You may be asked to remove some of your clothing and wear a gown.Wear loose, comfortable clothing with no metal attachments such as zippers or metal buttons.Take no calcium supplements On the day of your exam You may have to wait 10 to 14 days before undergoing DXA. Tell your doctor if you recently had a barium exam or have been injected with a contrast material for a computed tomography (CT) scan or radioisotope scan.If it’s critically important that DXA being performed during pregnancy, the distal forearm can be examined. Tell your doctor if there’s any chance you might be pregnant. DXA is not recommended if you’re pregnant.How long does DXA take? The entire appointment time is about 30 minutes, with the scan itself taking less than 10. You'll lie on your back and have two scans, turning your body between scans to get the optimal angles. The UCSF Skeletal Health Service is a collaboration of specialists in metabolic bone, endocrinology, rheumatology, and nephrology providing clinics at the Orthopaedic Institute.ĭXA is a quick, painless test, as simple as an X-ray, just with slightly larger equipment. Learn more about the Bone Quality Research Lab (Principal Investigator Galateia J. UCSF researchers work collaboratively with other departments to find out how to reduce the likelihood of osteoporosis. Interdisciplinary team allows for the most comprehensive treatment plan to prevent further bone loss or injury.UCSF pioneered the use of DXA to assess bone health.UCSF researchers and physicians are among the world’s leaders in bone health. Three or more alcoholic drinks per day on most days.Taking corticosteroids (prednisone, methylprednisolone) every day for 3 months or more.History of hormone treatment for prostate or breast cancer.Early menopause (from natural causes or surgery).Rheumatoid arthritis or chronic kidney disease.Women under age 65 and men ages 50 - 70 who have risk factors such as:.People who should consider assessment with DXA include: There are a number of conditions related to poor bone health. Men who break a hip are more likely to die than women who do the same. About 20-25 percent of hip fractures occur in men.The overall mortality is about 20 percent in the first 12 months after hip fracture.In women over 45, osteoporosis accounts for more days hospitalized than diabetes, myocardial infarction, and breast cancer.How important is bone health?Īssessing your bone health may not seem like a critical health priority but consider these facts: ![]() That way they can be managed and even curbed with prescription medicines and lifestyle modifications. Regular screening can diagnose osteoporosis and other bone problems early. Though more women than men have osteoporosis, men are more likely than women to die after breaking a hip. Men also experience the condition, which weakens bones and makes them subject to fracture. Osteoporosis ScreeningĪccording to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is estimated to affect 200 million women worldwide. ![]() Vertebral fractures are often asymptomatic.Ī bone mineral density assessment may be considered every two years, depending on age, gender, and other factors. This screening is used to uncover bone problems of the skeleton, for example in people who have unexplained back pain or who have experienced a loss in height of more than an inch in a year. The examination can also be used to perform vertebral fracture assessment. The amount of radiation is very low, about 10 percent of a normal chest X-ray.ĭXA can determine bone mineral density for any bone but is most commonly used for hip and lumbar (lower) spine. DXA is painless and takes about 10 minutes. The lower the density, the greater the risk of fracture. The density profiles from these X-rays are used to calculate bone mineral density. It is a standard method for diagnosing osteoporosis used in combination with risk factors (the so-called “FRAX” method), it is also considered an accurate way to estimate fracture risk.ĭXA works by sending two low-dose X-rays which are absorbed differently by bones and soft tissues. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA) is a scan that is used to determine the density of bone to assess its strength. ![]()
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