Have you ever considered getting a bone density test in Lee County Florida? If you are over 65 and have not considered it yet, you should know that more women over the age of 55 are hospitalized every year in the U.S. for osteoporosis-related fractures than for heart attacks, breast cancer, or strokes.
What Is A Bone Density Test?
A bone density test is the only test that can diagnose your osteoporosis risk. As a result, you can find out whether you have osteoporosis or if you should be concerned about your bone health.
Who Should Take A Bone Density Test?
- woman age 65 or older
- man age 70 or older
- People who have an increased risk of osteoporosis. This is the case if you:
- Have a broken bone caused by normal activities, such as a fall from standing height or lower (fragility fracture)
- Suffer of chronic rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, or eating disorders
- Have early menopause (either from natural causes or surgery)
- History of hormone treatment for prostate cancer or breast cancer
- Have had a significant loss of height due to compression fractures of the back
- Smoke
- Have a strong family history of osteoporosis
- Take corticosteroid medicines (prednisone or methylprednisolone) every day for more than 3 months
- Take thyroid hormone replacement
- Have three or more drinks of alcohol a day on most days
an X-ray of your spine showing a break or bone loss in your spine
- back pain with a possible break in your spine
- height loss of ½ inch or more within one year
- total height loss of 1½ inches from your original height
Try the free risk fracture calculator!
Types of Bone Density Tests
There are screening tests and so-called DXA tests.
What is a DEXA Test?
DXA stands for dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. A bone densitometer measures your bone density.
What can I expect during the exam?
Patients typically spend only minutes reclining fully clothed on the densitometer. Radiation exposure is very low.
How do I prepare for the exam?
There is no special prep for a DEXA exam.
Screening Tests
They are also called peripheral tests. These screening tests measure bone density in the lower arm, wrist, finger or heel.
Types of peripheral tests
- pDXA (peripheral dual energy x-ray absorptiometry)
- QUS (quantitative ultrasound)
- pQCT (peripheral quantitative computed tomography)
Screening tests can help identify people who are most likely to benefit from further bone density testing. In addition, they are also useful when a DEXA is not available. These tests are often done at health fairs and in some medical offices. Unfortunately, Screening tests cannot accurately diagnose osteoporosis and they should not be used to see how well an osteoporosis medicine is working.
If you have a peripheral bone density test, you should follow up with your healthcare provider. Discuss whether you need additional testing, such as a DEXA test of the hip and/or spine. The results of a peripheral test cannot be compared with the results of a DEXA.
Where to Have a Bone Density Test in Lee County
Most people need a prescription or referral from their healthcare provider to have a bone density test. When you go for your appointment, be sure to take the prescription or referral with you. The testing center will send your bone density test results to your healthcare provider. You may want to make an appointment to discuss your results with your healthcare provider.
LEE Health
Lee health offers the test at two locations
HealthPark Commons
16281 Bass Rd, Suite 204
Fort Myers, FL 33908
Coconut Point
Estero, FL 34135
23450 Via Coconut Pt
Radiology Regional
Where does Radiology Regional offer these exams?
- Broadway, Fort Myers
- Winkler Road, South Fort Myers
- Del Prado Boulevard, Cape Coral
- Cay West, Cape Coral
- Lee Boulevard, Lehigh Acres
- Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs
- Goodlette Road, Naples
Millennium Physician Group
Women’s Center at Fort Myers Imaging
Address:
13813 Metro Pkwy., Fort Myers, FL 33912
Phone:
(855) 674-4624
Hours of Operation:
- Monday – Friday
- 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Women’s Center at Cape Coral Imaging
Address:
1528 Del Prado Blvd. S., Cape Coral, FL 33990
Phone:
(855) 674-4624
Hours of Operation:
- Monday – Friday
- 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
NCH Healthcare Bonita Imaging
Address:24040 S. Tamiami Trail
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
- Phone: 239-624-4443
Monday – Friday 8:00am-5:00pm
Gardner Orthopedics
3033 Winkler Ave.
Suite 100
Ft. Myers, FL 33916
Monday8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday8:00 am – 12:00 pm
239-277-7070
Fort Myers Orthopedic Specialists
(239) 215-2008
2531 Cleveland Avenue, Suite 1
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Understanding Bone Density Test Results
Your bone density test results are reported using T-scores.It is a reference test where your bone density is compared to the bone density of a healthy 30-year old adult. A healthcare provider looks at the lowest T-score to diagnosis osteoporosis.
What Your T-score Means. According to the World Health Organization (WHO):
- A T-score of -1.0 or above is normal bone density. Examples are 0.9, 0 and -0.9.
- A T-score between -1.0 and -2.5 means you have low bone density or osteopenia. Examples are T-scores of -1.1, -1.6 and -2.4.
- A T-score of -2.5 or below is a diagnosis of osteoporosis. Examples are T-scores of -2.6, -3.3 and -3.9.
- The lower a person’s T-score, the lower the bone density. A T-score of -1.0 is lower than a T-score of 0.5 and a T-score of -3.5 is lower than a T-score of -3.0.
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