How Can I Tell if I Have Osteoporosis?

There are tests that can measure bone strength and the risk of fracture. One test measures your Bone Mineral Density (BMD). Another test measures other structural features of bone. You should discuss with your doctor whether these tests would be helpful for you.

Description of Testing for Bone strength

There are two main types of tests measuring bone strength:

Radiography
DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry)

Uses radiation to determine bone density.

The spine and hip are most commonly measured, but the heel, wrist or total body may also be measured.

The procedure takes up to twenty minutes, and results in about as much radiation exposure as a standard X-ray (if the spine or hip is measured) or less (if the heel or wrist is measured).

Sound Waves

Ultrasound

Uses sound waves to measure bone structure, so there is no radiation exposure.

Measurements are made in the heel or in the shin.
The procedure can be completed quickly, generally in less than ten minutes.
The results of these tests will vary, depending on the machine used and what part of the body studied. Therefore, if your doctor recommends a follow-up test in the future, make sure that the same type of machine is used to test the same part of your body, so that results may be compared accurately and any changes in your bone noted.

Test Results

Bone measurement test results are reported as a "T score," indicating how far the measurement is below that of a normal person age 20-29:

Your bone strength is normal if you have a T -score above -1.

You have osteoporosis if you have a score below -2.5.
In general, your risk of a fracture doubles for every point below zero. For example, if you have a score of -2.0, you have twice the risk of fracture of someone with a score of -1.0.

The results of a bone measurement test are site-specific and tell you something about the part of the bone which is measured. But, since bone loss occurs over the entire body, the results at any one site also tell you something about the condition of your bones overall.