The Bone Mineral Density Test

The Bone Mineral Density Test Dr. Travis Stork: Here is their story. Deborah: I am here at St. Jude Medical Center. I’m here for my osteoporosis scan. Dr. Sanjay Chabra: Hello Deborah. This is Sanjay Chabra nice to meet you. Deborah: Nice to meet you too. Dr. Sanjay Chabra: The area that we’re looking is the L4, L1 area the low back lumbar spine, the neck of the femur as well as the head of the femur. These are the areas at greatest risks for fracture. Male: Okay Deborah, just go ahead, you can have a sit on the table here. Deborah: I hope my results will be perfect because I exercise and I try -- a lot of calcium and try and have a high protein diet. Dr. Sanjay Chabra: Okay Deborah, so the last part of this is going to look at both heads. Male: That is quick and easy. Deborah: Thank you very much. Male: My pleasure. Deborah: So when will I be here for my results? Dr. Travis Stork: Deborah is here with us today along with Sally. First things first, you’re anxious right? Deborah: Yes, very anxious. Dr. Travis Stork: So sure we just go to -- Deborah: Absolutely. Dr. Travis Stork: Okay, so look up there, you see that little dot where it says normal in the green range? That’s where you’re at. Deborah: Yehey! Dr. Travis Stork: Do you remember first -- Deborah: Yehey! That’s what I wanted, high five. Dr. Travis Stork: In that test -- Lisa can you hold those bones up quite simply as measuring your bone mineral density, in Lisa’s right hand that’s good bone mineral density. In her left hand is very porous and that is the bone of someone with osteoporosis. Yours looks like the denser one. Deborah: The good one. Dr. Travis Stork: That’s good. Now, having said that we’re going to talk about ways to prevent yourself from ever sliding into the zone of osteopenia or osteoporosis. Because it does mean that you can never move in that direction. So, strong bones are likely to cure, right? Dr. Lisa Masterson: Right. But the again the onerous again is to identify people who have the risks factors or signs. If you see you know back pains, stooped postures something like that. You want to identify again people who are at high risks, their family history, their age, if they’ve been taking medications like steroids or cancer treatments, if they have hyperthyroidism. You know other medical disorders that can break bones and it is not a necessarily a disease of menopausal woman or older woman or actually even Caucasian woman, black woman everybody can be affected by this. Sally Field: Everybody should get a bone density test at sometime in their life. Probably if they turn into their early 60’s. Dr. Lisa Masterson: Well, gynecologists recommends, I recommend to all my patients that you get it at 50 or at least when you start menopause, one year after one year after menopause. So that’s when you should actually have the screening. But the -- thing is that you don’t have to worry about treatments. You have been taking a treatment right? Sally Field: Yes, thank God. Dr. Lisa Masterson: Your bones even though they started to get like this are now reversed because of the treatment that you’re taking. Sally Field: I have the treatment that I have chosen. There are many different treatments to choose from and the one that I take which is once moths has made my bones in that healthy zone again. Dr. Travis Stork: What medications did you take? Sally Field: I am on Boniva because it’s once month but like I said there are many effective treatments. They also have one that’s -- can be given intravenously that lasted for three months cycling for woman who can’t tolerate anything digestively. Dr. Lisa Masterson: That’s excellent Sally. I mean, I know I would be the one to take what Sally’s taking. And there are so many different treatments out there as well though, hormone replacement actually helps the old bones as well even though it’s not indicated. There are so many treatments out there.