Bone Mineral Density Testing

Bone Mineral Density Testing (BMD) is an evaluation used to help diagnose osteoporosis, a progressive disease that causes bone loss, and increases bone fracture risk.  Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is a type of bone density testing.  BMD testing is generally recommended for women under the age of 65 with risk factors other than menopause, postmenopausal women with fractures, and all women age 65 and older.  It may also be used to assess bone integrity after the use of inhaled steroid medications for asthma or chemotherapy, and in relation to other conditions, including thyroid disorders, menopause, hysterectomy, premature fractures, and advanced age. Preparation BMD may be performed at your doctor’s office, an outpatient radiology center, or the radiology department of a hospital.  There are no special preparation instructions for BMD. Procedure BMD is a short procedure, usually lasting less than 15 minutes.  A technician will position your body for the test.  BMD is a painless procedure. A radiology technician may perform your test, but is not qualified to diagnose or discuss your condition or results with you.  A radiologist or your doctor will discuss your results with you.

Copyright © 2015 – iHealthSpot, Inc. – www.iHealthSpot.com

This information is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of an individual consultation or examination or replace the advice of your health care professional and should not be relied upon to determine diagnosis or course of treatment.

The iHealthSpot patient education library was written collaboratively by the iHealthSpot editorial team which includes Senior Medical Author Dr. Mary Car-Blanchard, OTD/OTR/L and the following editorial advisors: Steve Meadows, MD, Ernie F. Soto, DDS, Ronald J. Glatzer, MD, Jonathan Rosenberg, MD, Christopher M. Nolte, MD, David Applebaum, MD, Jonathan M. Tarrash, MD, and Paula Soto, RN/BSN. The library commenced development on September 1, 2005 with the latest update/addition on 8-26-2015.

iMedWorks Ask Platform Links below:

1. Get a Medical Second Opinion
2. Search doctors and Request Appointment

You might also be interested in

What to do if you are choking and there’s no one around to help

Most people more or less understand what they have to do to if they see someone choking. But what's the ...
Read More

Difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest

People often think that a heart attack is the same thing as a cardiac arrest. This, however, is not true ...
Read More

Suicide prevention

Magnitude of the problem Suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally for all ages. Every year, ...
Read More