BONE WELLNESS CENTER
New Technology at Bone Wellness Center
Twenty-five million Americans have osteoporosis. Fifty thousand people
die each year because of it. Yet, most of us know little about
protecting ourselves from this disease.
Osteoporosis results in more than 1 million hip, spine, and wrist
fractures annually. This disorder affects nearly one-half of all
postmenopausal women, the largest group at high risk for osteoporosis.
Research in osteoporosis, the disorder in which progressive bone loss
results in increased risk of fracture, is making important new
advances. A key factor in this success has been the availability of
new and improved equipment to measure bone density.
Using a bone densitometer, physicians can measure patient bone density
and follow it over time. If the patient’s bone density is low, or
decreases at an abnormally fast rate, the patient may be at risk for
osteoporosis. Through changes in diet, exercise habits and/or
medication, further deterioration of bone can be prevented. A new bone
densitometer was recently installed at The Bone Wellness Center, a
department of Orthopedic Medical Center in Reseda, California.
“The DPX bone densitometer (Lunar Corporation, Madison, Wisconsin)
measures the density of the spine, hip and other bones which are the
most frequent sites of fracture,” explained Dr. Jerome R. Friedland,
Director of The Bone Wellness Center.
“Until now, evaluating bone density using conventional x-ray systems
did not reveal a potential problem until a patient had lost 25-30
percent of her bone density. Now, in just a few minutes, this highly
sensitive densitometer helps us identify risk at a much earlier stage.
It can also evaluate response to treatment so that we know whether our
therapy is effective or if we need to modify our approach.”
‘Fortunately,” Dr. Friedland said, “recent research findings clarify
the nature of the disease, and demonstrate the effectiveness of new
treatments. New diagnostic devices, such as the DPX densitometer,
improve the early detection and treatment of osteoporosis.”
Dr. Friedland encourages individuals to call and make an appointment
to have bone density study. “There is no special preparation involved
for the patient, the scan only takes a few minutes, and is a very
comfortable procedure for the patient,” he said.
Further information regarding osteoporosis, risk factors, and bone
density measurement may be obtained by contacting Suzann at
818-708-8100 x 724.
Osteoporosis is often called the "silent disease" because there are
rarely signs until a significant amount of bone has already been lost.
The best way to measure the amount of bone is with a medical test such
as a bone densitometer, also known as a DEXA test. The test uses a
very small amount of X-Ray to measure the amount of bone mineral,
which relates directly to the strength of your bones. X-Ray images of
the lower spine, hip, and even the whole body can be produced.
Usually, the spine and hip are measured because this is where
osteoporotic fractures most often occur.
With the test results, you can return to your referring physician and
discuss ways to reduce your risk of fracture through exercise, changes
in diet, hormone therapy, or other medicines known to build bone
strength.
Osteoporosis affects over 28 million Americans, the majority of whom
are women. Orthopedic Medical Center wants to do our part to combat
this disease. So do your part and ask your doctor about having a DEXA
test.
