| Dexa Scan to Detect Osteoporosis |
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis literally means “porous bones”. Bones are made up of a thick outer shell and a strong inner mesh which looks like a honeycomb. This honeycomb is made up of struts of
bone and osteoporosis means that the struts become thin and break which makes bones more porous and fragile. Osteoporosis is a common condition and is now estimated to affect 1 in 2
women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50.
What does having a Dexa scan involve?
A Dexa scan is a simple, painless procedure which involves you lying on a firm table whilst an x-ray arm passes over you. It does not involve you going into a “tunnel” and the x-ray arm does not touch you. Bone density is measured at the spine and hips and these measurements give an overall prediction of your bone density and strength. The procedure takes about 15 minutes and involves very low doses of radiation. You normally do not need to remove clothing although any metal fastenings such as zips and clips need to be away from the areas being scanned. It is therefore advisable to wear loose, comfortable clothing with no metal fastenings where possible.
Our Dexa scanner is state of the art. All the results will be available to you and a copy will be sent to your GP. We advise a follow up visit with your GP to discuss any relevant findings. We will provide you with written information on Bone health on the day of your visit.
Cost £ 130.00
Women over the age of 65 should should get a DXA scan. At risk women should consider getting a scan at age 60.
Risk factors include:-
• Breaking a bone after a minor fall (a low trauma fracture)
• Having a family history of diagnosed osteoporosis or hip fracture
• An early menopause (before age 45 years)
• Current or previous use of corticosteroids, e.g. prednisilone tablets for more than 3 months or
high dose steroids
• Medical conditions which affect the absorption of food e.g. Crohns disease, Coeliac disease and Ulcerative Colitis
• Other medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism and hyperparathyroidism (overactive thyroid and parathyroid glands)
• Certain medications e.g. long term anti-epileptic medications, which is often used as part of breast cancer treatment.
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol intake - more than 14 units of alcohol per week for women and 21 units per week for men
• Poor dietary calcium intake, e.g. through not liking or tolerating dairy products.
• Lack of weight bearing exercise e.g. brisk walking, jogging, dancing |
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