How to get the most out of bone densitometry

PREVIEW

According to a 1998 estimate by the US Department of Health and Human Services, 23 million women have some degree of decreased bone strength. Bone loss is often age-related, because the rate accelerates for several years after menopause. However, certain conditions (eg, amenorrhea, long-term use of corticosteroids, hyperthyroidism) can cause reduced bone mass or accelerated loss independent of patient age or sex. In this article, the authors discuss when bone densitometry is appropriate and summarize how to interpret and best use findings of the densitometry report.