The single best predictor of bone strength is bone density. Research over the past decade has shown conclusively that bone density is related to risk of fracture, in much the same way that blood cholesterol is related to the risk of heart disease. The lower the bone density, the greater the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. The OARG offers a variety of imaging modalities for the diagnosis of osteoporosis.
Expert consultation is available to assist in ordering the appropriate diagnostic examination.
This is a low dosage radiation scan using a standard CT scanner. Two vertebrae in the lower back are selected for single cross-sectional scans, which are analyzed with specialized densitometry software. The entire procedure takes about 15 minutes. This is a low dosage radiation scan using a Hologic 4500 fan beam scanner. The fan beam allows for extremely fast acquisition.