Osteoporosis is the condition of having weak or thin bones, which are more susceptible to fracture, even with minimal injury. Osteoporosis can result in vertebral fractures, which cause a stooping-over of the spine.
Osteoporosis can also increase the risk of hip fractures, a major problem for older people.
Because there are now some treatments to help build up bones in patients who have osteoporosis, it is helpful to have a test that will show how thin a patient's bones are. The amount of change in the x-ray beams' intensity shows doctors how dense, or thick, the bones are that are being studied. You might have your bone density measured with an x-ray of the spine, of the hip, or of the wrist. All will give close to the same information, since the density of one bone usually tells your doctor how dense the other bones in your body are likely to be.