Bone Mineral Densitometry
A bone mineral densitometry scan is a type of x-ray scan that measures bone density and is mainly used to detect osteoporosis.
A bone densitometry scan is performed by lying on a table with an x-tray machine below you and x-ray arm passing over your body.
The procedure is painless. The scan provides information bout your bone strength or fragility and in particular aids in assessing the risk of fractures or broken bones.
Preparation
Generally, there is no preparation required for a bone densitometry scan.
Please let us know if you have recently had a barium exam or had contrast material injected for a CT scan/ nuclear medicine test as these tests may interfere with your bone density test.
In some instances, you may be asked to change into an examination gown to ensure that your clothing does not affect the quality of the images. You may also be asked to remove items such as eyeglasses, jewellery and any other metal objects.
Duration
A bone densitometry scan may take 15-30 minutes.