The most common situation when a bone density scan is considered necessary is when there is concern regarding a condition called Osteoporosis.

RISKS

The scanner uses an extremely low dosage of x-rays, so little in fact that the Technician will remain in the room with you throughout the entire examination.

WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS

Bone is a living tissue that is constantly under-going change. It is rebuilt and broken down using calcium as a building material. Bone is made of a much tougher outer core with a lattice like inner structure. This combination gives bone great strength. As we grow older the body takes more calcium from our bones then it replaces, this is especially true for women after their menopause. Consequently the outer core becomes thinner and the inner network breaks down more rapidly – bone looses its mass. This makes our bones more brittle and more likely to fracture. This condition is called osteoporosis.

THE PROCEDURE

The whole visit will take about half an hour. We require you to fill out a questionnaire to aid the Specialist with their diagnostic report and then the Radiographer will bring you into the examination room and explain the whole procedure to you.

HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU?

Having osteoporosis increases your risk of suffering a debilitating fracture which can be painful and greatly affect your quality of life. The most common fracture sites are the spine, hip and wrists. The bone density scan is the best way of measuring your bone mass and detecting osteoporosis.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SCAN?

The examination will take no more than 30 minutes. You will be provided with a gown to change into and will be positioned on the scan bed by the Technician. The scanner has an ‘arm’ which will pass over top of you measuring the density of the bones in your spine and hip. A computer report will be generated detailing your bone density, which is known as your T-score. You should feel free to ask the Technician if you have any questions.

PREPARING FOR A BONE DENSITY SCAN

No specific preparation is required. If you are on any medication please bring a list of your medications with you. The scan should not be performed within 72 hours of a nuclear bone scan or within a week of a barium study as these both interrupt the accuracy of the bone density scan results.

APPOINTMENTS

To make an appointment for your Bone Density Scan please phone us on 03 375 4050. You can self refer for this examination and do not require a referral form if over the age of 40 years. However we do require you to provide details of your GP for results to be sent to.