Bone Density NY

One of the best ways for physicians to detect and treat early signs of bone deficiency – like osteoporosis – is to test for bone density via diagnostic imaging.

A bone densitometry scan is a special type of X-ray test used to measure the calcium content of the bone, usually in the lumbar region (the lower back) and the hips. The examination is also called a DEXA-scan, QDR-scan or BMD (bone mineral density) measurement.

A bone densitometry scan measures the calcium content in the bones, which cannot be measured in an ordinary X-ray. Although an X-ray may appear to show that the bones have low calcium content, the information is vague for evaluating any potential ailments, so someone with osteoporosis may have perfectly normal X-rays. An X-ray is far more reliable when it comes to detecting a recent bone fracture.

East River Imaging is equipped with the GE Prodigy Bone Densitometer, a world renowned dual photon x-ray system that allows for maximum detail when evaluating properties of the hip and spine. Radiologists at the leading multi-modal facility East River are dedicated individuals who have been praised by colleagues for their insight and experience in diagnostic medicine and bone densitometry. Equipment like the Prodigy Bone Densitometer used at the East River clinic NY requires only minute levels of radiation to assess the strength and density of the bones in your body. It will also compare your measurements to a reference population based on your age, weight, sex and ethnic background. This information will enable your physician to determine whether you are at risk for fractures due to osteoporosis.

Fortunately, a variety of supplements are available to help treat poor levels of bone density. A scan can help a doctor who is examining a patient for osteoporosis to assess their risk of having a bone fracture within the next few years. In general, people with a bone mineral density significantly lower than that normal for their age and sex are more likely to break a bone. If the patient then receives medical treatment, the scan can be repeated after two years to assess their progress.

The PETCT scan will take between 10 and 30 minutes, depending on the equipment used and the parts of the body examined. If the doctor is checking for osteoporosis, the lumbar spine and the hips are usually examined, as well as the forearm as it will give a different calcium content from other body parts. Patients can eat immediately before the test and remain fully dressed as long as their clothes have no metal buttons or zippers. Recently portable scanners, which can be used in a GP's surgery and check the BMD of the heel bone have been growing in popularity.

New methods of measuring osteoporosis using ultrasonography have also been developed. One such ultrasound system measures BMD at the patient's heel and takes about a minute. The ultrasonography for testing osteoporosis are smaller and less expensive than traditional DEXA systems. These systems have recently received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance. The hope is that this more compact, lower cost system will allow this vital diagnostic test to become more widely available in the future. By primarily measuring peripheral sites such as the heel, ultrasound densitometry may not be as sensitive as techniques such as DEXA or QCT that measure the spine or hip since the heel may be normal in bone density even when central sites such as the hip or spine are already significantly abnormal.

Further, bone density/densitometry changes in the heel occur much slower than in the hip or spine. Therefore ultrasound densitometry should not be used to monitor a patient's response to therapy. However, the new ultrasound densitometry systems will allow many more people access to bone densitometry and potentially diagnose osteoporosis before a traumatic fracture occurs.