BONE DENSITY SCAN
A bone density test is used to detect decreases in bone mass associated with osteoporosis. You may be at risk for osteoporosis if you have the following characteristics:
- Smoke cigarettes daily
- Drink more than three ounces of alcoholic beverages a day
- Avoid milk and other dairy products
- Get little or no exercise
- Female who exercises excessively (long distance runner/ballerina)
- Diet high in animal protein or red meat
- Add high quantities of salt to diet
- Vegetarian
- Have an eating disorder and get too little nutritious foods
- Eat high amounts of fiber
- Heavy caffeine use
- Have a family history of osteoporosis
- White, northern European or Asian
- Small bone framed, over 70 years old
WHO SHOULD HAVE BONE DENSITY TESTING?
Individuals who have:
- Low body weight
- Cigarette smoker
- Heavy alcohol intake
- History of osteoporosis
- Diet low in calcium
- Have had a bone fracture in the past
- Have taken medications that accelerate bone loss (Corticosteroids or Anti-seizure medications)
A BONE DENSITY TEST
For more information on this and other women's health subjects visit the following website: www.nlm.nih.gov
A BONE DENSITY TEST is a simple, painless, non-invasive test that uses low levels of radiation to scan the bones in your wrists and hips. The bone density is plotted on a graph so your bones can be compared to the peak bone mass. If a woman does not take hormone replacement therapy at menopause she should be screened for osteoporosis.