Healthcare professionals should assess all women above the age of 65 for the presence of risk factors that predispose to bone loss and fragility fractures. What are the BMD testing recommendations in older individuals? What tools available to assess risk? How often should DXA scans be done in the elderly? At what site should BMD testing be performed? And how should the results be interpreted?
A person’s bone health is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. For a person to have healthy bones nutrition, hormones, and genetics all play a role. Genes determine some elements of bone health, such as the overall size and shape of the person’s skeleton. Genes are non-modifiable factors. Any errors in genes or their signals can lead to congenital defects.
Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and increased risk of fractures. The disease is particularly dangerous because it is often “silent.” There are no signs and symptoms while the bone loss occurs in the background. In fact, the condition is typically diagnosed when a significant medical event such as a fragility fracture occurs. Sometimes, even fractures are not recognized clinically (2 out of 3 vertebral fractures are asymptomatic). X-ray techs and DXA operators are in a unique position to recognize osteoporosis fracture risk.