Osteoporosis Health Center

Ultrasound is a screening test that is sometimes offered at events such as health fairs. It is only used to look for problems. If results from an ultrasound test find low bone density, DEXA is recommended to confirm the results. Ultrasound uses sound waves to measure BMD, usually in your heel. Ultrasound is quick, painless, and does not use potentially harmful radiation like X-rays. One disadvantage of ultrasound is it can't measure the density of the bones most likely to fracture from osteoporosis (the hip and spine). Ultrasound is not used to keep track of how well medicine for osteoporosis is working.

Before being screened for osteoporosis, you may want to think about what you will do if the tests show you have a high chance of getting osteoporosis. For more information, see:

Osteoporosis: Should I Have a Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) Test?

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Why It Is Done

A bone mineral density (BMD) test is suggested for:

• All women who are age 65 or older, and younger women who are at increased risk for broken bones caused by osteoporosis.¹
• Older men, and men with other risk factors for osteoporosis.²
• Men and women who have hyperparathyroidism.
• Men and women who have been taking corticosteroids, such as prednisone, for a long time.
• Follow-up of how well treatment for osteoporosis is working for men and women being treated for 2 years or longer.

How To Prepare

Avoid wearing clothes with metal buttons or buckles for the test. You also may want to remove any jewelry that might interfere with the scan, such as a bracelet if you are having the scan done on your wrist.

How It Is Done

A bone mineral density (BMD) scan is usually done in the special radiology department or clinic by a technologist. Peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (P-DEXA) machines are portable units that can be used in a doctor's office.

You will need to lie on your back on a padded table. You can usually leave your clothes on. You may need to lie with your legs straight or with your lower legs resting on a platform built into the table.

The machine will scan your bones and measure the amount of radiation they absorb. The DEXA technique, which scans the hip and lower spine, takes about 20 minutes to perform. Other techniques may take 30 to 45 minutes.

Portable machines (P-DEXA) can measure bone density in the wrist or forearm.

Testing at least two different bones (preferably the hip and spine) each time is the most reliable way of measuring BMD. It is best to test the same bones and to use the same measurement technique and BMD equipment each time.