Ask a Doc – Osteoporosis with Sean K. Choice, M.D.

Ask a Doc – Osteoporosis with Sean K. Choice, M.D.

Question: I am a 66-year-old woman in excellent health, and my doctor is advising me to have bone mineral testing to check my bone density. Is that important?

Answer: Adults can begin losing bone mineral density after the age of 30. It is more commonly seen in perimenopausal and menopausal women. This occurs because the body is no longer producing bone cells as quickly as they are being reabsorbed. Osteopenia is the loss of a small amount of bone tissue, while osteoporosis is more progressed and indicates more advanced bone mineral loss.

Bone mineral density can be tested with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA, also formerly called DEXA), which aims two X-ray beams at a specific bone – usually the hip or spine. The X-ray beams are measured as they pass through bones. Healthy, dense bones allow less of the X-rays to pass through them.

DXA scans are performed to help identify patients who are at increased risk of bone fractures. A radiologist analyzes the DXA results and calculates a “T score” for the amount of bone mineral loss. T scores between -1.0 and -2.5 indicate the presence of osteopenia, and a T score that is less than -2.5 means the bone mineral loss has progressed into osteoporosis. The International Society for Clinical Densitometry recommends routine DXA screenings for low-risk women at age 65 and low-risk men at age 70.

Men and women are both at risk for developing osteopenia and osteoporosis, although women account for 80 percent of the cases. Risk factors for developing the conditions include:

• Advanced age
• Menopause (for women)
• Family history
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation exposure
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking tobacco
• Heavy cola soft drink consumption
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Low testosterone levels (for men)
• Eating disorders that affect nutrient absorption
• Steroid treatment, including asthma medications
• Race – Caucasian or Asian

Not so long ago, there were no treatments that could reverse the effects of osteoporosis. However, we now have medications that can significantly slow the progression of bone loss and even increase bone mineral density fairly rapidly. Other treatment options include drinking milk, calcium and vitamin D supplements, and weight-bearing exercise. Without treatment, osteoporosis can lead to bone fractures, spinal compression, forward head posture, and a “dowager’s hump.” By recommending that you have a DXA screening now before you have any symptoms of bone mineral loss, your physician is taking an important step to prevent osteoporosis from afflicting your senior years.

At Licking Memorial Health Systems, DXA scanning tests for men and women are performed in the Women’s Imaging Center on the first floor of Licking Memorial Hospital, or at the Women’s Health practice, located at 15 Messimer Drive in Newark. The non-invasive test is painless and involves a very low level of radiation. Medicare Part B usually covers the cost of a DXA scan once every 24 months with a physician’s referral.

| Posted On : 6/13/2014 4:21:45 PM