Scanning for Osteoporosis

1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men will be affected by osteoporosis in their lifetime. After the age of 40 our bone mass reduces by 1% per year until the age of 70. In women this increases at the time of menopause to 3% per year.

Generally the denser your bones are the stronger they are, and the less likely they are to break. Osteoporosis and other bone disorders and conditions weaken bone structure and increase your risk of breaking a bone.

DEXA bone scanning can help find out whether you have osteoporosis or are at risk of developing it and can also be used to detect other bone disorders so that you can be given advice or treatment by your doctor to help strengthen your bones and prevent fractures as soon as possible.

Our Radiographers

The DEXA scans are performed by highly qualified radiographers with many years experience in DEXA scanning techniques so you can be assured of a high quality service.

The Scan

Our DEXA (dual energy X-Ray absorptiometry) scans are a fast and accurate way of checking your bone density and measuring the calcium content of your bones. They are more sensitive than normal X-Rays which can only detect osteoporosis when around one-third of your bone mass has already deteriorated. The DEXA scan measures the calcium content in the bones of the spine and the hip and compares that to a normal range for age and sex.

At Home

You won't need to make any special preparation for this test.

At Cornwall House Clinic

Prior to the scan our radiographer will explain the procedure to you and answer any questions you might have.

Depending on which part of your body is being examined you may be able to remain in your own clothes for the duration of the scan. It is common to scan your lower back bones (vertebrae) and hips to check for osteoporosis but we may also scan your forearm because it has a different level of calcium content from other parts of your body. You will be asked to lie on your back comfortably on a couch and to keep still while the scan is being taken. This will take 15-20 minutes.

A low dose of X-Rays will be passed across the body in two separate beams of different intensity. The allows us to detect the density of bone and soft tissue separately. The information from the scanner is sent to a computer which calculates a score for the density of your bone.

The Results

We understand that waiting for the results of a test can be a worrying time. Our aim is to get accurate results back to you as quickly as possible.

After the scan your doctor will receive a report of your scan within four working days. You will need to make arrangements with them to discuss your results.

If you have self referred you will receive a copy of the report and with your permission a copy will be sent to your GP to ensure your medical records are kept up to date.