Bone Densitometry Scanner Information

The DXA OR Bone Densitometry Scanner is used to detect osteoporosis (see image here). Our highly skilled professional technologists are certified in Bone Density Testing (DEXA), state-of-the-art techniques.

Q. What is Osteoprosis?

A. Osteoporosis is a crippling disease which is growing in numbers each year. It is often known as the "silent stalker" because there may be no symptoms until a fracture occurs and a diagnosis can be made at that time. The word osteoporosis means "porous bones". This disease causes bones to weaken by the loss of minerals, especially calcium.

Q. How common is osteoporosis?

A. The correlation between low bone mass & fracture occurrences is even stronger than the correlation between cholesterol and heart disease.

• Osteoprosis fractures  1,000,000
• Heart Attack  513,000
• Stroke  228,000
• Breast Cancer  182,000
• Uterine Cancer  32,800
• Ovarian Cancer  26,600
• Cervical Cancer  15,000

Q. Do the bones actually shrink in size?

A. The bones generally stay the same size, but the inside of some of them become full of holes like brittle pieces of coral. This happens slowly over many years.

Q. How easy is it for the bones to break?

A. The bones can break under the slightest pressure. A woman may break a rib bone from trying not to sneeze. In later stages of the disease, doing just about anything can break a bone in the back, wrist, hip, or ribs.

Q. Which is the most serious of the bone breaks; hip, spine, or wrist?

A. Broken hips are the most serious - 12% to 20% of those with broken hips die from complications such as pneumonia or blood clots.

Q. Who is at risk for osteoporosis?

A. Most generally -

• Women over 40 years old
• Small bone structure
• Low body weight
• Low calcium intake
• Smoker
• Alcohol abuse
• Excessive amounts of caffeine
• Lack of weight bearing exercise
• Stressful life style
• Menopause

Q. What are some ways osteoprosis can be prevented?

A. Weight bearing exercise such as walking, tennis, basketball, and proper diet with at least 1000 mg of calcium daily which can be found in such foods as: milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, chocolate, tofu, sardines with bones, salmon with bones, perch, almonds, turnip greens and okra.

Q. Can men get osteoporosis?

A. Yes, approximately 20% of the 1.5 million osteoporosis related fractures in the USA occur in men.

Q. Is there an early method to detect osteoporosis?

A. The Sterling Rock Falls Clinic is using a new technology for bone mineral testing. Our new DXA, bone densitometry scanner, is the best way to determine whether you have osteoporosis before a fracture occurs. A bone density test (DEXA) is the only accurate way to diagnose osteoporosis in its early stages when it is most responsive to treatment. SRFC has the only full-body DXA scanner in the area. Today, the gold standard for measuring bone mineral content to diagnose osteoporosis and follow treatment results. Unlike inexpensive scanners that scan only a heel or a wrist, we actually scan your hip and spine. This allows us to determine your risk at the site likely to cause you the greatest complications if a fracture occurs.

Q. Is the exam painful?

A. The exam is painless, requires no special preparation, and is done in less than 20 minutes.

Q. Who should have this exam?

A. Women at menopause or with family history of osteoporosis should have a baseline exam to better assess their bone health. If you are taking medication (hormone replacement therapy, or other medicine to prevent bone loss) a bone density test will help monitor the results of your treatment program.

Q. Depending on the results of the test, what happens?

A. Once the relative condition of your bones is established, your physician, if necessary, can prescribe one of the new medications and discuss any lifestyle changes you should make.

Should you have any questions or wish to request literature on osteoporosis, please call (815) 625-4790 or e-mail our technologists.

DXA (Bone Densitometry Scanner)