DEXA: the scan that shows how healthy your bones are

Loss of bone mineral density can develop without any visible signs and may be identified even before a fracture occurs. To assess bone health, doctors use dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, commonly known as DEXA.

This investigation is recommended primarily for detecting osteoporosis. Its results, combined with the patient's other risk factors, help estimate the likelihood of a fracture occurring.

DEXA is a non-invasive and painless procedure that involves a very low dose of radiation. The examination takes little time, and the values obtained provide the doctor with essential data about the patient's bone mineral density.

Interpreted alongside the patient's age, medical history, and other risk factors, DEXA results allow for the determination of the measures necessary to protect bone health and, where needed, the development of an appropriate treatment plan.

Further details about this investigation — when it is recommended and what information it provides — were presented by Dr. Claudia Haralambie, specialist in rheumatology at SANADOR.