One in two women and up to one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Routine bone density screening can identify those at the greatest risk before a debilitating injury occurs.
To that end, Mount Desert Island Hospital’s Medical Imaging Department has added a DEXA scanner to provide patients with greater convenience for osteoporosis screening.
“DEXA scanning is the most widely accepted type of bone density screening and is something our provider team recommends for their patients,” said Jeff Murad, MDI Hospital’s medical imaging director. “This aligns perfectly with our goal of keeping the care our community needs close to home.”
“DEXA is fast, it’s easy, and it’s considered the gold standard when it comes to screening for osteoporosis,” said Jane Tawney, PA-C, from MDI Hospital’s Women’s Health Center. Many of her patients have specifically requested DEXA scanning and she is happy to have the service available. Because of the relative simplicity of the scan, it may be something women can schedule immediately following their annual mammogram at The Breast Center at MDI Hospital. “It’s all right here,” Tawney said.
To date, bone density screening at MDI Hospital has been done with Quantitative CT (QCT) imaging, which provides extremely accurate, but slightly different kinds of measurements. That precision makes it the device of choice for many applications, according to John Benson, MD, chief radiologist and medical director of medical imaging at MDI Hospital. “Patients who are being treated for osteoporosis with an FDA-approved drug should get QCT to monitor the response to the drug.” Because the measurements from each device are unique, it is important that patients continue with their current screening method so their providers will have the most accurate historical perspective.
DEXA scanning is a widely used method of bone density screening in part because the scanners cost less than CT scanners. They can also offer screening at a lower cost and with slightly less radiation exposure.
According to Dr. Benson, DEXA is ideal for those with a moderate risk of osteoporosis. “They don’t have a major family history and they want to know their bone density as they are approaching menopause. If osteoporosis is discovered, it’s much easier to treat if it’s diagnosed earlier,” he said.
Detecting osteoporosis before a fracture occurs can often mean the difference between life and death. “Twenty percent of older patients who have hip fractures do not survive,” Dr. Benson said. “In that sense, osteoporosis could be a fatal disease. It needs to be identified and treated.”
To learn more about osteoporosis, visit the National Osteoporosis Foundation at www.nof.org and talk to your provider about the importance of bone density screening.