Bone density scanning is a service we offer to our patients who may suffer from osteoporosis – a disease that weakens the bones. To screen patients for this disease, we utilize a scan that measures the thickness of your bones and evaluates the likelihood of fractures and breakages. It scans the body and determines the bone mineral density through a low-dose X-ray.
This is a simple scan, and preparation is not required. It is helpful to wear loose-fitting clothing without metal buttons buckles or zippers as to not interfere with the scan. If you need to remove clothing, a gown or sheet will be provided.
If you have had any surgery that has resulted in metal implants (steel rods, screws, etc.), please inform your medical technologist so that he or she may avoid that area.
This scan can take between 10 and 30 minutes.
The American Cancer Society recommends women over the age of 40 have a routine mammogram once a year. Mammograms can detect abnormalities in the breast even before they can be felt by a clinical breast exam, enabling doctors to catch diseases at their earliest stages and reducing the risk of dying from breast cancer by 30 percent.