Osteoporosis Screening
Our office is equipped with the GE LunarProdigy™ Dexascan which provides accurate results and high quality pictures.
The innovative GE Lunar Prodigy™ is the first system designed to look beyond bone mineral density to become the most complete bone assessment tool ever devised. Prodigy's™ improved technology detects subtle bone changes in a variety of clinical applications and provides Advanced Hip Assessments and Dual Energy Vertebral Assessments.
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a silent, progressive disease characterized by decreased bone density and increased bone fragility, with a consequent susceptibility to fracture.
In the United States, more than 28 million people are at high risk of developing osteoporosis. Up to 1.5 million fractures a year are attributable to osteoporosis. Health care expenditures related to osteoporosis exceed $14 billion per year.
Women are at the greatest risk for osteoporosis. One-third of Caucasian women over age 50 have osteoporosis, yet nearly 80% remain undiagnosed. After menopause, a woman's risk of suffering an osteoporotic spine or femur fracture is 30%, or three times that of a man's.
Osteoporosis is a complex, multi-factorial disease that may progress silently for decades - there may be no symptoms until fractures occur. Bone loss is the major risk factor that can be modified in mid-life to reduce fracture risk. Bone loss can be reduced by treatment, but it is difficult to restore the microarchitecture of the skeleton once bone has been lost. Early detection and intervention are crucial.
Are Your Bones Healthy?
A simple, painless Bone Density Test is the best way to find out if your bones are healthy. Because osteoporosis is a silent disease with no symptoms-until a bone breaks-it's critical to get tested to determine the health of your bones.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a Bone Density Test for:
- All women 65 and over
- All postmenopausal women under age 65 with these risk factors (besides menopause):
- Are you of Caucasian or Asian descent?
- Do you have a family history of osteoporosis?
- Do you have broken bones from a minor injury?
- Do you have a thin or petit build?
- Do you use certain medications, such as steroids (for asthma or arthritis), or take too much thyroid hormone?
- Do you smoke?
- Do you drink several caffeinated or alcoholic beverages a day?
- Do you consume too little calcium or vitamin D?
- Do you exercise infrequently?
- Postmenopausal women with fractures
- Women who are considering therapy for osteoporosis, if bone density testing would facilitate the decision
- Women who have been on hormone replacement therapy for prolonged periods
