DEXA scan results are in: what they mean for your bone health

If you’ve received your DEXA scan results and want to understand what they mean, you’re not alone. Here’s everything you need to know about what a DEXA scan can tell you about your bone health, including how to interpret your results and what you can do to improve them. We’ll also take a look at the role of diet and exercise in building healthy bones, so that you can live life without worries about osteoporosis or other bone-related diseases.

What Is A DEXA Scan?

A DEXA scan is a way to see how well-protected your bones are. DEXA stands for Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry and it works by measuring how much radiation is absorb when a small amount of x-rays pass through your body. Normally, healthy bones absorb less radiation than unhealthy ones, so you can measure bone density to determine if an injury has led to abnormal amounts of bone loss. If you have osteoporosis, for example, bones might be unusually weak and could fracture easily after just minor trauma.

What Do The Results Mean?

First and foremost, a DEXA scan is a means of measuring bone density. For example, it can determine if someone has osteoporosis (thinning bones) or osteopenia (normal bone density). If your test shows that you have osteoporosis or osteopenia, it’s important to discuss treatment options with your doctor. On average, you need to seek medical attention if you have a T-score between -1 and -2.5. While there is no cure for these conditions, medications can slow their progression and make them easier to live with. It’s also important to note that Osteoporosis isn’t limited to older adults; some people start experiencing symptoms as early as 30 years old!

How To Interpret Your Results?

Your DEXA scan results will give you information about how healthy or unhealthy your bones are, and whether or not you’re at risk of osteoporosis. According to Mayo Clinic, there’s a scale on which each score is assigned. For example, a score of -1 means that you have osteopenia, which means that you don’t have signs of osteoporosis yet but do have some risk factors for it. A score of 0 means that you don’t have any risk factors for osteoporosis, and a score of +1 indicates early stages of osteoporosis where moderate damage is already visible to x-ray scans. If your score is between +1 and -1, then you should follow up with an evaluation by a medical professional.

Final Thoughts

DEXA scans measure changes in density and can be use to determine if you have osteoporosis, osteopenia or normal bones. Your doctor will take a DEXA scan at least once a year, but you may need more frequent exams. If you’re schedule for one, read up on it beforehand so that you understand its significance and how to use it to improve your overall bone health. A DEXA (dexterity) is like an MRI (magnetic) and CT Scan (compute tomography). But instead of being use to look inside a person’s body, it’s use to assess bone mineral density…

ABOUT DEXA / DXA BODY COMPOSITION ANALYSIS

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a fast, noninvasive and easy way to measure body composition. Our state-of-the-art DEXA Scanner will give you direct measurements of lean muscle, fat and bone to help you determine if you are gaining or losing weight through an increase or decrease in body fat and muscle. This advanced technology can help tell you more about your risk of developing obesity, osteoporosis and other health conditions. With a full body scan taking less than 10 minutes, scheduling an appointment at Health Quest New Mexico is fast, simple and convenient. For more information about how DXA testing can benefit your overall health contact us today!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

A DEXA scan is more accurate than a physical exam because it measures bone loss. And, unlike other x-ray tests, a DEXA scan does not expose you to harmful radiation. The main benefit of having a DEXA is that it helps you and your doctor identify early signs of osteoporosis. As well as some less common forms of arthritis such as spinal spondylosis (neck and back pain) and intervertebral disc degeneration (severe back pain). Your doctor will review your report with you—discussing if there’s cause for concern—and recommend treatments that may help strengthen bones and reduce symptoms.

WHAT TYPE OF RESULTS DOES A DEXA SCAN PROVIDE?

A DEXA Scan, also known as Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, is an x-ray technology that helps to assess a person’s bone density. This test can help to determine whether a person has osteoporosis or not. The device measures two different energies of x-rays that are absorbed by different types of tissue (osteoblasts and fat) and then calculates total body composition. From there, it gives a reading of T-score, which basically tells us if we have bones strong enough to break.

Regional body fat results

Having a higher body fat percentage isn’t necessarily bad; it depends on where that fat is located. Women with more body fat around their hips, thighs and butt have been found to have less risk of heart disease than women with more body fat around their bellies and breasts. Regional body fat measurements can be obtain through a DEXA (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) scan. Which evaluates both total and regional percentages of lean mass, muscle tissue and adipose tissue (body fat). The best part about DEXA scans is that you can easily obtain them by visiting Alamogordo’s Premier Radiology Clinic & Hospital. As far as scanning technologies go, there aren’t many better options out there.

Abdominal, or visceral, fat

which is more dangerous? The term visceral fat sounds pretty scary. But it’s actually just a bunch of cells that surround our organs and are use to hold them in place. If those cells grow too large or start producing excessive amounts of certain hormones. However, visceral fat can contribute to serious health problems. This type of fat has been link to heart disease, metabolic syndrome (i.e., prediabetes), high blood pressure, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction and more. So how do you know if you have too much visceral fat? A DEXA scan is one way to find out; it measures body composition—including both lean mass and body fat—and tells us how much of each we have overall.