Up to half of postmenopausal women have osteoporosis and generally they show no symptoms until fractures occur. The exact cause of osteoporosis is not known. A big factor is the loss of natural estrogen that occurs in women around the time of menopause. Osteoporosis can also affect men. This is a simple, painless and safe procedure that takes about ten minutes of actual scan time.
Bone densitometry measures the calcium content of the bones, a rough measure of bone thickness.
Bone densitometry can detect osteoporosis before there are any symptoms, and before regular x-ray pictures show anything abnormal. The test results give an indication of how a person's bone thickness compares with that of other people of similar age and gender. Thin bones increase the risk of fracture. A physician may recommend treatment if the bones are thin, or if there is evidence of rapid bone loss on repeated scans. Other medications are in development.