What is it?

A bone densitometry assessment or a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry(DEXA) assessment is used to:

• Establish or confirm a diagnosis of osteoporosis.
• Predict future fracture risk.
• Monitor changes in BMD in response to treatment or any medical condition (compare BMD values of a currenttest to previous test).

There is an inverse relationship between BMD and fracture risk - the lower the BMD value the greater the fracture risk.

Each standard deviation drop in bone mass is equivalent to a:

• 10 - 12% decrease in bone mass.
• 2 - 3 times increased risk of an osteoporotic fracture.