Osteoporosis - Diagnosis

The only way to diagnose osteoporosis with certainty is with X rays. Ordinary X-ray techniques, like those used for chest X rays, are usually not very helpful. They do not show bone loss until the disease has progressed and extensive damage has occurred.

Computed tomography (CT) scans may be more helpful. In a CT scan, a specific region of the body is X-rayed from many angles. A computer then combines the various X-ray photographs. CT scans are not the best choice for diagnosing osteoporosis, however, because they require relatively high levels of radiation. Another common name for a CT scan is a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan.

A better method for diagnosing osteoporosis is densitometry (pronounced DEN-si-TOM-i-tree). Densitometry is also a technique for X-raying bones. However, the amount of radiation used is very low. The X rays are taken from different angles and can show how much bone has been lost.

Some doctors recommend that people be tested on a regular basis for bone loss. For women, those tests should begin after menopause. For men, they should begin after the age of sixty-five. Such tests are important since there are seldom other signs of osteoporosis.