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. Please discuss the need for bone densitometry with your primary care physician or specialist. There are no needles or medications given. The patient simply lies on a padded table for 10 minutes while special x-ray pictures are taken.