Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease most often found in postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis literally means "porous bones" and leads to an increased risk of fracture. Each year there are approximately 700,000 spine fractures and 250,000 hip fractures in the US. Most of these fractures occur in people who have osteoporosis. To help prevent such fractures, it is important to diagnose osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can then be treated with diet, exercise, and sometimes medicines to help make the bones strong again.

Bone Mineral Density Testing: A bone mineral density test is used to measure the density (strength) of your bones. Your bones naturally lose some density, as you get older. The loss of density weakens the bones. If your bones are somewhat less dense than normal, you have osteopenia. If your bones have lost a lot of density, you have osteoporosis.

Bone mineral density tests are much more sensitive than normal x-rays. Normal x-rays do not detect bone loss until at least 30% of the bone mass has been lost. Bone mineral density tests allow health care providers to diagnose weakening bones at earlier stages. The test helps your health care provider decide if you need treatment for osteoporosis.

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the most commonly done of the tests that use radiation. It is painless. During the test you lie down on a padded table. It's best not to move while the test is being done, but you can breathe normally. It takes just a few of minutes to check the bone density of your spine and hip. (The hip and spine are the most common areas checked because they are most prone to fracture if your bones are weakened.) The amount of radiation used for this test is very low. It is about the same amount you would get on a long plane flight and less than you are exposed to during a typical chest x-ray. There are other tests besides the DEXA scan.

The test results are expressed in 2 types of scores:

1. The T-score compares your bone mineral density (BMD) to the expected bone density value of a healthy young adult (about age 30) of the same sex and ethnicity.
2. The Z-score compares your BMD to the BMD of a healthy person who is about the same age and body size as you.

The T score is usually used to make treatment decisions using a statistical measure called a standard deviation (SD). The SD measures the difference between your BMD and that of a healthy young adult (the reference value). Every -1 SD ("minus 1 standard deviation") equals a 10 to 12% decrease in bone density. T score results are classified as follows:

• A T score between 0 and -1 standard deviation (SD) is considered to be normal.
• A T score between -1 and -2.5 SD is classified as osteopenia (low bone mass).
• A T score of -2.5 SD or less is classified as osteoporosis (very low bone mass).

The Z score is used to interpret the test results if you are outside the normal testing range (very young or very old). It is the number of standard deviations (SD) above or below the reference value for your age.

It's always a good idea to talk to your Doctor about your results and make sure that you understand what they mean.

Call Advanced OB/GYN Care at (860) 409-1933 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Marcovici!