DEXA scans for Osteoporosis

DEXA scans for Osteoporosis at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital

Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital is offering a new Osteoporosis screening service.

This diagnostic test is carried out using a DEXA scanner. The scan will help you find out whether you have Osteoporosis or are potentially at risk of developing it. DEXA scans are sometimes called bone densitometry scans, QDR scans, or bone mineral density measurement.

The scan can also be used to detect other bone disorders and conditions, and to monitor the relative amounts of body fat and muscle in your body.

Patients may self-refer under certain circumstances or be referred by their GP or a consultant. The scan is available for insured and self-funding patients.

The new scanning service will be available to self pay patients for around £150

The Procedure

To carry out the scan you will be asked to lie on your back on the scanner table and to keep still while the scanner is positioned over the area to be tested, and x-rays generated which pass through the area under examination and are then picked up by the detector. The bones commonly scanned are the vertebrae (back bones), hip and wrist. (These are the bones that most commonly fracture due to Osteoporosis.) The scan is painless and takes 10-15 minutes. You do not need to do any special preparation prior to a DEXA scan.

A DEXA scan may be advised if you have:
A fracture following a minor fall or injury.
Loss of height due to fracture of a vertebra.
Taken steroid tablets for three months or more.
An early menopause (aged less than 45).
A history of periods stopping for more than one year before the menopause.
Other disorders associated with osteoporosis
A family history of hip fracture on your mother’s side.
A body mass index of less than 19.

*Source Patient UK

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For further information please contact the radiology department at Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital on 01223 266955 or complete our online enquiry form.

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