Are You At Risk For Bone Loss?

A bone density test - DEXA scan - determines whether you have osteoporosis or are at risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become more fragile and more likely to break.

The test is painless and requires little to no preparation. The patient simply lies down and the density test uses X-rays to measure how many grams of calcium and other bone minerals are packed into a segment of bone. A bone density test is a fairly accurate predictor of your risk of fracture.

We recommend a bone density test for:

• Women age 65 or older
• Men age 70 or older
• Men 50 to 70 years with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis
• People older than 50 who have experienced a broken bone
• Postmenopausal women that have stopped taking estrogen or hormone therapy

Risk factors for osteoporosis include: + Getting older, bones become weaker as you age + Ethnicity — women who are white or of Southeast Asian descent have the greatest risk of osteoporosis. African-American and Hispanic men and women have a lower, but still significant, risk of the disease + Low body weight, or under 125 pounds if you’re of average height + A personal history of fractures after age 40 + A parental history of osteoporosis or hip fractures + Using certain medications that can cause bone loss, especially steroids

• Care For Women Over 30 →