Osteoporosis Awareness Month- WHAT IS A DEXA SCAN
DEXA stands for Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. It is a scan used to assess bone density and therefore strength.
A DEXA scan can be helpful in diagnosis and assessing osteoporosis and estimating fracture risk.
WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE OF A DEXA SCAN?
When you have the scan you lay still on your back on a X-ray table while the arm of the machine passes over you. Low dose X-ray beams pass through your body and leave an image behind. This procedure is performed by a radiologist. It is a painless procedure and usually takes about 25-30 minutes.
UNDERSTANDING THE RESULTS OF A DEXA SCAN
The results of the scan compares your bone density with the expected bone density of a healthy adult and of a healthy adult of the same age, gender and ethnicity.
The difference between you and the expected value is calculated as a standard deviation. When comparing to a young healthy person a T score is calculated and when comparing to someone of the same age, gender and ethnicity it’s called a Z score.
A Z score is generally used for children and people still growing.
T score is more commonly used in older adults.
If you are -1 standard deviation less than the young health adult this is normal.
If your T score is between -1 and -2.5 then you have a reduced bone density and may be classified as osteopenic.
Below -2.5 standard deviations is defined as osteoporosis.
Keynotes for osteoporosis blogs :
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351968 https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-density-test/about/pac-20385273