{"id":14214,"date":"2016-08-10T15:29:17","date_gmt":"2016-08-10T19:29:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cna.ca\/?post_type=news&p=14214"},"modified":"2020-03-10T13:55:05","modified_gmt":"2020-03-10T17:55:05","slug":"bone-scanning-osteoperosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cna.ca\/fr\/2016\/08\/10\/bone-scanning-osteoperosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Bone Scanning and Osteoperosis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s a little-known fact: Fractures from osteoporosis are more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined<\/a>. Radiologist Robert Bleakney<\/a> says the issue is under-reported and under-recognized.\"bonescanning\"<\/p>\n

Dr. Bleakney specializes in musculoskeletal\/ bone radiology at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and is the head of musculoskeletal imaging at the Joint Department of medical Imaging (JDMI). He uses the technique to assess a bone\u2019s mineral density in order to determine a patient\u2019s fracture risk.<\/p>\n

\u201cBone mineral density or mineralization tells us the strength of the bones,\u201d he says. \u201cYou want a higher score. The higher the score, the more dense the bone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scans are based on X rays, similar to a Chest X ray, but use a fraction of the radiation dose, equivalent to a few days of natural background radiation or a transatlantic flight. The patient receives two X-rays of varying energy, usually targeting the spine and the left hip. Those are the areas that best predict fracture risk. Using the scan results, Dr. Bleakney can determine whether a patient has a low, moderate or high risk for subsequent fractures.<\/p>\n

\"bmd\"From there, doctors can look at appropriate treatment methods. For low-risk patients, lifestyle changes may be all that\u2019s needed. High-risk patients may be offered medications that help strengthen their bones.<\/p>\n

While anyone can suffer from the impacts of a fracture, women are often at an increased risk for fractures. Other risk factors include:<\/p>\n