Many older Americans don't realize that they have osteoporosis until they suffer a fracture. The U.S. Surgeon General, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommend that all women 65 years and older get a bone density test. Your doctor may recommend a bone density scan at a younger age if you have a family history of osteoporosis.
However, osteoporosis isn't just a women's disease. Men may develop osteoporosis starting at a later age and progressing more slowly. Men start losing bone mass later in life because they don't experience the period of rapid hormonal change that women do.
At Progress West, our trained technologist will perform a bone density test, or dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA scan), as recommended by your physician. The images will show your doctor the density of your bones and help determine your likelihood of developing osteoporosis. If your scan shows that you have weak and brittle bones, your doctor may recommend drug therapies that can protect and even strengthen your bones.
This simple noninvasive test will produce an image of your bones on a computer screen in as little as 10 minutes. Bone density is then calculated by the computer’s assessment of how much energy is absorbed by your bones. The doctor will review your images and communicate directly with your referring doctor, who will discuss the results with you.
To schedule an outpatient diagnostic test, call us at 636.344.1702.