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Overview
An initial examination for osteoporosis is recommended at menopause if you have risk factors. This assessment will alert you to any problems and allow doctors to prescribe treatments to curb bone loss and monitor your condition as you grow older. To determine if you have osteoporosis or may be at risk for the disease, your doctor will ask you a variety of questions about your lifestyle and medical history. Your doctor will want to know if anyone in your family has suffered from osteoporosis or if they have had bone fractures.
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Based on a comprehensive medical assessment, your doctor may recommend that you have your bone mass measured. A specialized test called a bone mineral density test (BMD test), which is also appropriate for men when they reach age 70 and have additional risk factors, can measure bone density in various sites of the body. A bone density test can detect osteoporosis before a fracture occurs, predict your chances of having a fracture in the future, determine your rate of bone loss, and/or monitor the effects of treatment if the test is conducted at intervals of a year or more.
BMD tests are X-rays that use very small amounts of radiation to determine the bone density of the spine, hip, wrist, or heel. The most commonly used test, considered the standard, is known as a DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorpitometry) test.
In this section on testing, you will find information on:
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