Bone Densitometry (Osteoporosis)

Bone densitometry is performed in order to diagnose and evaluate osteoporosis. Osteoporosis describes a reduction of bone mineralization and thereby a reduction of bone stability. Possible causes of osteoporosis are lack of exercise (e.g. paralysis), malnutrition, metabolic disease and advanced age. Osteoporosis presents more commonly in women.

In order to initiate therapy of osteoporosis, the state of disease must first be quantified and expressed in numbers. Above all, this serves to evaluate the increased risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. Bone densitometry is performed by computer tomography (CT) of defined regions of the lumbar vertebrae (QCT) and of the femoral neck (CT-XA). The resulting images are evaluated using a computer program, which calculates the bone density of these regions in comparison to a standard population.