Your primary care doctor can set it up for you to have a low dose x-ray which will help determine your bone mineral density. A radiologist will perform the procedure and relay the results to your doctor.
Osteoporosis is the name for low bone density.
Yes, a bone density scan, also known as a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, uses a small amount of ionizing radiation to measure bone mineral density. This radiation exposure is very low and considered safe for most people.
There is the possibility that low bone density can increase health risks. One possible risk for those with low bone density is an increase risk of bone fracture, especially in older women who suffer fractures to the hip and pelvis areas as the result of falls.
Bone density tests are based on the amount of calcium deposited in the bones. Hypoglycemia is low amounts of blood glucose (sugar) in the blood. They may not be directly related. However, hypoglycemia produces stress hormones including cortisol to increase blood sugar levels. One effect of cortisol is the inhibition of bone formation as well as bone breakdown. If someone had prolonged hypoglycemia for months or years, this could probably effect bone mineral density. This would probably be difficult to measure because diabetics have a lot of other variables which could also affect bone mineral density such as increased levels of inflammation, altered hormone levels, general vitamin and mineral deficiencies, etc.
Osteopenia (oste = bone + penia = to starve) refers to the bone mineral density being nower than normal, but not low enough to be osteoporosis (oste = bone + por = holes + osis = condition of). This is a natural occurance after the age of about 45.
No, osteoporosis means low bone density ("brittle bones") .
Bone mineral density testing is a relatively safe procedure. It is similar to an X-RAY or a CT scan, both which have minimal risks associated with the small amounts of radiation emitted. There are five main types of scans to test your bone density including: ultrasound, Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA), Peripheral Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (P-DEXA), Dual Photon Absorptiometry (DPA), and Quantitative Computed Tomography (QCT). As mentioned before the only risk is low level radiation, comparable to a normal X-RAY machine and are considered very safe.
absorptiometry
A bone density test uses a very low-dose X-ray machine that evaluates bone loss commonly associated with osteopenia or osteoporosis. The bone density test uses two low-energy X-ray beams to examine the strength of your bones, identify potential fracture risk, and evaluate the efficacy of therapy. A bone density test is most commonly performed on the lumbar spine, hip, and forearm, as these bones have been shown to generate the most reliable measurements for predicting fractures and monitoring treatment. Visit Insight Medical Imaging today for our bone density test services.
One example of a mineral with low specific gravity is pumice. Pumice is a volcanic rock formed from frothy lava with numerous gas bubbles trapped within its structure, resulting in a low density and specific gravity.
osteopenia refers to decreased calcification or density of bone. having osteopenia places a person at risk for developing osteoporosis, a more serious condition that causes bones to become brittle or possibly break.Bone deficiency