Reviews and News on Bone Density Machines

Patients who are told to get a bone density test rarely know what kind of “score” they are looking for; they only know they want it to be on the healthy side. But how can they tell what the alphanumeric scores really mean? Using bone densitometer medical equipment, doctors score the test using a “T” and “Z” scores to represent the condition of a patient’s bones in comparison to a normal healthy adult of the same age. Since the “T” represents the patient’s bone density and the “Z” the benchmark, the T-score is considered the more vital of the two. Normally reported in the minus or negative range, the lower this number is the greater the risk of osteoporosis and fracture.

What is normal bone density? Bone mineral density, or BMD, is scored in a tight range of T-scores between -1 and +1 using a medical device called a bone densitometer. Higher scores on the T scale indicate a normal level of bone density and will not require further treatment. However, patients with BMD scores in the negative range will need to be closely monitored. One thing that seems to work well is regular weight-bearing exercise along with adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium in the diet.

What is low bone mass? Also known as osteopenia, this condition is common among post-menopausal women. It describes the patient with bones that are less dense than they should be but haven’t yet reached the osteoporosis level. People with this condition will have a T-score of -1.1 through -2.4.
How can a patient know they have osteoporosis? Anyone with a T-score below -2.5 will be diagnosed with osteoporosis. The lower the number on the bone densitometer, the greater the risk of fracture.

Which patients are sent for BMD testing? Normally, patients with multiple risk factors for osteoporosis are sent for testing at a physician’s office or hospital. Or, if initial medical equipment testing reveals a surprisingly low T-score, they may be advised to get a more thorough form of BMD screening in the hip or spine.

Osteoporosis is a disease that jeopardizes the density and quality of the bones. Osteoporosis is more common in women than men, and is typically diagnosed in older individuals, since bone health typically degenerates as people age. At this time, most health organizations have very vague guidelines in terms of how often bone density tests should be repeated. Based on these facts, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, which was recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine, set out to determine how often post-menopausal women should be re-tested for osteoporosis.

Any women that had already been diagnosed with osteoporosis and women that had a history of fractures were excluded from participating in the study. Nearly five thousand women, who were 67 years of age, were eventually enrolled in the study, to determine which individuals were high-risk and which were low-risk for developing osteoporosis.

Bone densitometer testing was used to determine a baseline for each woman, and they were then placed into one of four control groups:

· women with normal bone density
· women with a mild condition of osteopenia (a mild form of bone loss)
· women with a moderate condition of osteopenia
· women with an advanced condition of osteopenia

The researchers also considered other risk factors such as age, body mass, and tobacco use. The women were enrolled in this study for a period of fifteen years and were re-tested 2-5 times during that period. Based on the results of the study, the research team estimated the amount of time that the women in each group would develop osteoporosis. However, these results were only based on ten percent of the women in each group. The rate of development the research team reported was:

· Nearly Seventeen years, for women with normal bone density
· Fifteen years for women with mild osteopenia
· Five years for women with moderate osteopenia
· One year for women with advanced osteopenia

While this study provided valuable information for both patients and doctors, critics of the study have gone on record to say that it is biased and therefore, not conclusive. Their main argument is that an interval of fifteen years is too long. Furthermore, there is a concern that the study excluded men and women who had a history of fractures. Many health professionals recommend a bone densitometer test every two to five years for older patients, and re-testing those with severe osteopenia annually. Bone density tests are painless, short, inexpensive, and usually covered by insurance companies.

In 2011, at an annual meeting in Boston of The American Society of Endocrinology, a study was presented by Yale School of Medicine researchers that suggested that a woman’s loss of collagen during early menopause can be attributed to weaker skin and bones. The head author of the study, a reproductive endocrinologist by the name of Dr. Lubna Pal, stated that the aim of the research was to show that “the skin reflects what is happening at the level of the bone.” The bone densitometer research team found that the condition of a woman’s skin may accurately predict her risk of bone fracture.

The research was based on a study of 114 women who had recently gone through menopause. A bone densitometer system was used to measure the bone density of these women at the heel, spine, and hip using the technology of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) medical equipment scan technology to measure the findings. The tests conducted on the control group consistently demonstrated that the women with more facial wrinkles had less bone density, and women with tough, less wrinkled skin had healthier bone density. Interestingly enough, the researchers still found a correlation between skin and bone health after consideration of other contributing factors that influence bone density, such as age, race, weight, tobacco use, and vitamin consumption.

Dr. Pal noted that the menopausal stage is challenging for the skeleton and the skin, and since collagen is a protein that is found in both the skin and the skeleton, it could provide a valid explanation for the correlation. The research team would not confirm that the women in the test group would develop osteoporosis for certain. They did admit that their research could provide insight to an earlier diagnosis of osteopoenia, which is a brittle bone condition, in patients.

The human body has a natural cycle that enables it to produce and maintain healthy bone density. When bone tissue gets old, it breaks down in the body and new tissue is formed to replace the old. Bones mass generally peaks by early adulthood, in both men and women, and then it declines gradually, at a normal rate as a person ages.

A patient that is diagnosed with osteoporosis has bones that are not as dense or strong as normal healthy bones. The condition of osteoporosis greatly increases a patient’s risk of bone fracture that can be caused by the most minor of traumas. Osteoporosis usually affect people who are over fifty years of age, primarily women of menopausal age, due to a decrease of estrogen. Estrogen production assists the body in maintaining healthy bone density, and when there is an absence of estrogen, the new bone tissue does not form as quickly to replace the old. This is the most common cause of osteoporosis. After menopause, it is not uncommon for women to lose as much as 30% of their bone density in only five to ten years.

Unfortunately, osteoporosis is referred to as a “silent disease” because there are no symptoms or physical warning signs. Sometimes a decrease in height can be an indication that an individual has osteoporosis. However, often, individuals do not even know they suffer from osteoporosis until they are the victim of a bone fracture and have consulted with a doctor.

Once a diagnosis has been made, a physician will usually recommend a noninvasive procedure, known as a bone density medical equipment test to properly assess bone strength. A dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan, or DEXA scan is administered in a medical equipment treatment facility or a hospital, uses very little radiation, and generally takes a short time to perform. The results will then be read by a doctor, who will suggest the best possible treatment plan that will help patients increase their bone density and attempt to prevent any more unnecessary loss. Bone densitometer testing should be repeated, as suggested by a physician, to maintain bone health.

In an effort to improve the quality of work flow, in 2010 The Mayo Clinic, conducted a one-hundred day bone mineral density treatment project. The bone densitometry section at The Mayo Clinic has a total of six rooms. At the time of the study, bone densitometers occupied five of the rooms, and the sixth room was used as a patient waiting room.

Under the supervision of a trained advisor, two physicians and six health professionals, the team set out to redesign the structure of the workday, and increase the capacity for patient screenings, while maintaining efficiency, without having to implement any additional medical equipment or medical staff. Improvement method business models have often been tested and implemented in the manufacturing industry; however, The Mayo Clinic discovered that they can also be utilized effectively in the health care industry.

Using the framework of define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC), the team studied all of the aspects of the reception, technologist and patient interaction. The current method was analyzed and a future plan was developed, tested, and eventually implemented. Once the solution had been identified and implemented, the results were monitored over time to ensure that project goals were achieved and sustained.

On average, the Mayo Clinic’s bone densitometry practice provides treatment to seventy patents a day, with the majority of cases involving hip and spine treatments. The clinic had already optimized treatment by implementing dual-energy x-ray absorpitometry (DEXA), which significantly improved the speed and precision of processing patient data results. However, even with this advanced imaging technology medical equipment, patient treatment time, from start to finish, averaged about twenty-one minutes.

The study analyzed the all of the process time involved, from patient arrivals to patient departures. It was determined that time was wasted at the reception desk and in the distances walked by the technologist and the patient. The research team concluded that certain procedural location changes maximized time efficiency. For example, having patients fill out a patient assessment form in a waiting area that was directly in front of the imaging room, rather than inside the imaging room, or in the main waiting area, helped decrease the patient cycle time by fifteen percent without resulting in any changes in regards to cost or staff.

The tests that were conducted proved that the small time-management strategies that were implemented were extremely effective. The Mayo Clinic was able to increase their patient treatment schedule by approximately six patients a day, which is an impressive increase for a facility that is consistently busy. Once the new program was implemented, the estimated increase in annual revenue from adding these additional patient slots was in the area of three-hundred thousand dollars.

Health History

Family health history is important information to share with a physician for a variety reasons. Providing a family doctor with the health history of you and your family members provides a window of reference that helps prepare your doctor, so that he or she knows what conditions to be on the lookout for. In the case of diagnosing osteoporosis, family health history is important in terms of early diagnosis, proper treatment, and possibly slowing down the progression of the disease.

Risk Factors

Osteoporosis is a disease that is commonly diagnosed in older individuals, predominately women. However, it is not impossible for younger women or men to be affected by the disease. Frequently, men who are diagnosed with osteoporosis are over the age of seventy. The disease progresses gradually, due to a loss of calcium, and causes bone and structural changes in the body. As the bones of the body become thinner, their fragility causes them to be more susceptible to breakage. In addition to age putting people at high-risk, other factors that can put a person at risk for the disease are: low body weight, tobacco use, a diet lacking in calcium, a Vitamin D deficiency, decreased levels of estrogen or testosterone, and the consumption of certain medications.

Bone Densitometer Testing

Bone densitometry (BD) medical equipment testing is recommended for patients who either have osteoporosis or are suspected to have the disease. A bone densitometer test is painless, simple and takes approximately fifteen minutes. The most universally method used to measure bone density is a dual-energy x-ray absorpitometry, also known as a DEXA scan. Once a diagnosis has been made, doctors are likely to prescribe medication or suggest a variety of treatments that include dietary supplements and exercise.

A bone densitometer medical equipment diagnosis provides physicians and patients with vital information that helps to determine the bone mineral density (BMD) and risk fracture of different areas of the body, such as wrist, spine, and femur. The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) is a valuable resource for detailed information regarding Osteoporosis related symptoms and treatments.

The American Medical Association (AMA) and The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) recommend that people who are at risk for osteoporosis have a bone densitometer test to diagnose the condition. While it is true that a traditional x-ray can show that bones appear thinner than normal, often too much bone has been affected by the time the disease is detected. Therefore, it is highly suggested that patients who are being tested for osteoporosis have what is known as a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan (DXA) scan. A DXA is the most accurate technology today used to measure bone density.

How Does a DXA Scan Measure Bone Density?

With a DXA medical equipment scan, a patient’s bone density in the spine or hip is measured by comparing it to the average standard of a young person, who is similar to the patient in terms of race and gender. The score that is generated from this comparison is called a “T-score”. A T-score of -2.5 or below determines a diagnosis of osteoporosis. DXA scanning is the most precise way to diagnose osteoporosis. The test itself emits only a small amount of radiation, is painless and the procedure only lasts about fifteen minutes.

How is bone strength determined with medical equipment?

Bone density (BD), or bone mass is measured by how much bone is present in the patient’s skeletal structure. A patient with high bone density has strong bones. Bone density can be influenced by genetic disposition, by environmental factors, and even by certain medications that are being consumed by an individual. Men tend to have higher bone mineral density than women, and African American people typically have higher bone mineral density than Asians or Caucasians. Patients that have certain diseases can also be prone to osteoporosis.

Risk Factors That Can Determine Osteoporosis:

• family history
• gender
• race
• age
• thin or small body structure
• cigarette smoking
• alcohol use
• inadequate diet
• low calcium and Vitamin D levels
• low estrogen or testosterone levels
• lack of exercise

Treatment for Osteoporosis

If you or someone is diagnosed with Osteoporosis, it is comforting to know that the disease is manageable. Lifestyle changes and medications that prevent bone loss are available and effective. Talk to your healthcare professional about your options.

If cigarette smokers can’t think of enough reasons to “kick the habit”, there is now another good reason for them to break their addiction to tobacco. The statistics have been clear, for quite a while, that proves that tobacco consumption is linked to higher risks of lung cancer and heart disease. However, many people don’t realize that smoking cigarettes takes a toll on other parts of your body also. For example, dentists are always trying to send the message out that smoking negatively affects your gums and often causes periodontal disease. However, many people don’t realize that smoking can also cause muscle, joint, and bone health issues. Approximately twenty years ago, scientific research and journals first began to recognize that there was an undeniable link between smokers and osteoporosis.

How Does Tobacco Use Affect Musculoskeletal Disease?

First and foremost, there are many ways that nicotine, and the toxins found in cigarettes negatively impact bone health. The unhealthy toxins associated with smoking set off a chain reaction of events that afflicts damage on the human body. Because bone building begins in adolescence and continues well into our thirties, medical professionals admit that building healthy bones is a slow process. Scientific studies have shown that quitting smoking can reduce damage that has been to the bones and can most certainly prevent further damage that smoking can cause.

Suggestions for Better Bone Health

• Schedule an appointment with your doctor and set up an appointment to have a bone densitometer test

• If you are a smoker quit smoking. There are many local cessation programs, medical equipment, medication, and aids to assist you with quitting smoking. Talk to your doctor and check your medical insurance plan to determine, what options are available for your needs

• Decrease alcohol intake

• Eat a well-balanced diet and increase your intake of Vitamin D and calcium

• Exercise regularly

If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, explore medications, medical supplies, and treatment plans for managing the disease.

Osteoporosis predominately affects women in their later years, but men are not immune to this disease that causes thinning of the bones. The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOP) estimates that approximately 2 million men have been clinically diagnosed with the disease and millions of others may be at risk. According to an article from The New England Journal of Medicine, osteoporosis frequently goes undiagnosed and untreated in men. Since men typically have larger bones that are stronger than a female’s bones, they often underestimate the impact that osteoporosis can have on them.

Breaking a bone is a major complication associated with osteoporosis. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases reported that 11% of males over 50 will suffer a spine or hip fracture due to the osteoporosis. Shockingly, statistics show that while it is true that more women suffer hip fractures than men, men are more likely to die within a year of suffering a hip fracture. Since osteoporosis is referred to as “the silent disease” because it has no warning signs, it is highly recommended that men should have a bone densitometers test to determine if they are at risk for osteoporosis.
Men may notice a decrease in height, weight, or intense back pain, but they without proper medical testing they will have no idea that their bones are becoming weaker and more brittle. However, there are several identifying risk factors for men who are prone to developing osteoporosis:

• smoking
• excessive alcohol consumption
• consumption of certain seizure or steroid medications on a regular basis
• have chronic diseases of the intestines, kidneys, or lungs
• have low testosterone levels
• are physically inactive or immobilized

While there is no cure for osteoporosis, individuals can take action in an attempt to prevent the onset and the progression of the disease. Getting checked regularly through with bone densitometer medical equipment will help access your individual issue. Quitting smoking and reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption is highly recommended. Also, increasing Vitamin D and calcium intake as well as implementing a daily exercise routine are effective in building and maintaining healthy bones.

Whether there is a connection between thyroid treatment and osteoporosis is a controversial debate. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that is immensely undiagnosed. As many as 26 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis. Of the 26 million, women represent more than 20 million of those who are diagnosed with the disease. Surprisingly, studies have also concluded that only 10% of women with osteoporosis have been diagnosed and are being treated by a medical equipment professional. The best way to determine if you or someone you love is at risk for osteoporosis is a bone densitometer medical equipment test.

In these studies, researchers were trying to determine two things. First, they wanted to determine if it was possible that a significant period of hypothyroidism could affect bone density. Secondly, the study tried to determine if long-term use of the drug Levothyroxine, the drug that is most commonly used to treat thyroid conditions, contributed to further degeneration of the bones. The studies conducted had conflicting results. Three reputable medical journals, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Thyroid, and The Journal of Hormonal and Metabolic Research all concluded that there was no link between the medication and bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. By contrast, The European Journal of Endocrinology conducted a research project that found that patients who were treated with Levothyroxine for a prolonged period of time did have a slight increased risk of an osteoporotic fracture.

The medical journal evidence could not prove without a doubt, that there was a definite relationship between thyroid treatment and risk of osteoporosis. However, it did find a correlation between menopausal status and bone density. Age, gender, and menopausal status were key risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Research consistently showed that there is a significant decrease in bone turnover in pre-menopausal and menopausal women due to lower estrogen levels which negatively affects bone density.