DXA Technologist : Advice for Patients with Osteopenia
Radiologic technologists, especially those working as DXA operators, may often come across patients who do not qualify as osteoporotic, but still have low bone mass. Osteopenia is a term used to describe low bone mass which is lower than normal but not low enough to qualify as osteoporosis. People with osteopenia are at an increased risk of fractures. This can be likened to the classification used for “bad” cholesterol (LDL) where individuals are at high risk if the value is more than 160 mg/dL and moderate risk if the value is between 130 and 160 mg/dL. What is osteopenia treatment? And what advice should be given to patients who are osteopenic?