Who Should be Tested?
- Postmenopausal women under age 65 with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis
- Men age 50-69 with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis
- Women age 65 or older without risk factors
- Men age 70 or older without risk factors
- A woman or man after age 50 who has a broken bone and a history of fractures
- Women going through menopause with certain risk factors
(Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation)
Preparing for the Test
- No pain is associated with the test, and no preparation is needed. You will be lying on your back for about 10-15 minutes. If you can’t safely lie on your back, cannot transfer onto the table, or if your weight (350 lbs.) exceeds the table limit, we may scan your forearm instead from a chair.
- Bone densitometry uses only minimal radiation. The amount is so small that the technologist stays in the room with you. The dose is about 1/10 of a chest x-ray. If you think you may be pregnant, please let your doctor and technologist know.
- You may eat as you usually would. However, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE multivitamins, CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS, TUMS, OR ROLAIDS on the day of your appointment, or we will have to reschedule your bone density appointment. You can take vitamins D and C as they do not contain calcium.
- Please continue to take all prescription medications.
- Wear comfortable clothing, but please refrain from wearing underwire bras or any clothing with metal snaps or zippers around the waist.
What to Expect
- The complete exam should take about 15-20 minutes.
- During a bone density exam, you must lie on your back, and the technologist will perform the exam.
- As you lie on a padded cushion, your spine and hip scans are taken to determine your density.
Results
- Your results are sent to your referring physician within a week of your appointment. In addition, your results will be available on the EWBC patient portal.
- This test measures your bone mineral density (BMD). The lower your bone mineral density, the greater the fracture risk.
The test is used to:
- Detect low bone density before a person breaks a bone
- Predict a person’s chances of breaking a bone in the future
- Confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis when a person has already broken a bone
- Determine whether a person’s bone density is increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable
- Monitor a person’s response to treatment
