Osteoporosis, a medical condition that affects your bone density, is one of the most skeletal conditions around the world today. 54 million people over the age of 50 have osteoporosis or are at risk of getting it. Osteoporosis affects your body’s ability to replace bone density as you naturally age. To maintain a healthy and active lifestyle, your doctor may recommend a DEXA scan to monitor changes in your bone density over time. DEXA scans are the only imaging technique capable of detecting osteoporosis before a bone fracture occurs, allowing you and your doctor to plan accordingly if you are at risk.
Bone Density (DEXA) Scans
Reasons To Get A DEXA Scan
Throughout your lifetime, your bones take part in a natural process of replacing older, more vulnerable bones with new ones. As you age, the rate of bone loss begins to outpace bone replacement, which can lead to an increased risk for osteoporosis. Anyone at any age can develop osteoporosis, but women have a much greater risk than men due to their hormonal makeup. Here are the symptoms of osteoporosis:
- Back and neck pain
- Brittle fingernails
- Loss of height over time
- Poor posture
- Receding gums
- Weak grip strength
Our DEXA Scan Locations
Larchmont Imaging offers bone density imaging services across 4 of our office locations. Each one of our office locations offers same-day and next-day appointment options with many offices offering evening and weekend hours to meet your busy schedule. Get the compassionate and comprehensive care you need fast.
DEXA Scan Frequently Asked Questions
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends bone density (DEXA) scans to help prevent fractures and bone loss for:
- Women over the age of 65.
- Women between the ages of 50 to 64 with specific risk factors.
- Men over the age of 70.
- Men between the ages of 50 to 69 with certain risk factors.
- Men and women who had a fracture after the age of 50.
When assessing your own risk of developing osteoporosis, you want to take a look at these key factors:
- Gender – Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis due to hormonal changes during menopause.
- Age – Your bone density naturally decreases as you age.
- Body Size – People who have a smaller frame tend to have a higher risk because they have less bone mass overall.
- Ethnicity – People who are of Caucasian or Asian descent have a higher risk.
- Family History – If family members have developed osteoporosis, your risk increases.
- Diet – People who have a low calcium intake are at greater risk of developing osteoporosis.
- Hormone Production – People who have decreased hormone levels are at greater risk.
When you arrive for your appointment, an X-ray technology will ask you to lie still on a table positioned between an X-ray machine and a computer-assisted detector above. The detector will slowly hover over your hip and spine. On average, the study takes about 20 – 30 minutes to complete. Afterward, one of our board-certified, subspecialized radiologists will interpret and analyze the results to send over to your doctor. Based on the results, your doctor will create a treatment plan that works for you to improve your bone health and decrease the risk of incidental bone fractures.
The intervals between each DEXA scan are determined based on your overall risk factors and previous results. If you have very healthy bone density, your doctor may not recommend a follow-up scan for 15 – 20 years. If your results indicate compromised bone health or signs of osteoporosis, you may need DEXA scans more routinely. Please speak with your doctor to learn more about what works best for you.
Larchmont Imaging is in-network with 99% of health insurance providers. If you are unsure about our network status with your health insurance provider, please contact your provider directly. In some cases. an insurance company may attempt to tell you which radiology centers are preferred. As the patient, you have the right to choose if you would like your study performed at Larchmont Imaging.
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