Bone Densitometry
Bone densitometry (DEXA) safely, accurately and painlessly measures bone density. During a comprehensive DEXA scan, you will lay comfortably on a padded table while the DEXA unit scans two or more areas, usually the fracture-prone hip and spine. Unlike typical x-ray machines, radiation exposure during DEXA’s is extremely low. The entire process takes about 30 minutes to complete. It involves no injections or invasive procedures, and you remain fully clothed.
Osteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because it doesn’t produce symptoms until a fracture occurs. 1 in 2 women are at risk for fracture or have at least one spinal fracture and don’t know it. Spinal fractures caused by osteoporosis are most often painless, greatly increasing the risk for future fractures. A woman’s risk of hip fracture alone, equals her combined risk of developing breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer. The diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis begins with a DEXA bone scan. Today, when doctors detect bone loss in the earliest stage, treatment is more successful. And, several drug therapies now on the market have been shown to be effective in slowing down or reversing the bone-loss process.
