Who Should Get a Bone Density Screening and How Often

A bone density test examines the mineral content of your bone, an indicator of your bone’s strength. Osteoporosis is a condition in which bone becomes weak and brittle. Your body constantly absorbs and replaces bone tissue. With osteoporosis, new bone creation does not keep up with old bone removal. Many people have no symptoms until they have a bone fracture.

Osteoporosis-related fractures are very serious, leading to pain, disability, and, in the case of a broken hip, a 20% increased risk of dying within the following year, according to study conducted by the National Institute of Health. That’s why it is crucial to go in for that initial scan. The most common bone test is the dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. Unlike other medical tests, there is not much to stress about. It is covered by insurance, done in minutes, and completely pain-free.

Who Should Have Bone Density Test?

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, bone density testing is recommended for women between the ages of 50 and 65 with risk factors of osteoporosis and who are postmenopausal, and for all women over the age of 65. In addition, it is recommended for all men over the age of 70. Also, men and women taking certain medications, like corticosteroids, or those with certain diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, have an increased risk of osteoporosis.

How Often Do I Get Re-Tested?

Even if your bone density test shows that you do not have osteoporosis today, you may need to have the test again. The length of time between tests depends on your initial bone density results and whether you have risk factors that represent an ongoing threat to your bones. Medicare and many insurance companies will pay for a bone scan every two years if you are diagnosed with osteoporosis or are at a high risk.

Bottom Line

Your doctor will consider your age, osteoporosis risk factors, diseases and conditions, and the medication which you take routinely when recommending when you should have your initial bone density test and how often to re-test.