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REMS (Echolight) Scan - anyone?
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: May 22 12:50pm | Replies (35)Comment receiving replies
Is this your first DEXA? Personal trends are critical.
I’ve had DEXAs over the last twenty years, and the results show consistently declining results, especially with the lumbar, which is now a T-score of -3.7. The femurs have been stable over the last three tests at -2.1, Like you, healthy, active, no fractures, with insistence from doctors to start medication, which I have resisted so far, but am open to. I also had a REMS within a month of this latest DEXA, and the results were confusing. The REMS showed a lumbar T-score of -1.8 and femurs at -2.5 and -2.3. In addition the fragility score was 42.1 which is abysmal. So ……do I want to believe the REMS for my spine and the DEXA for the hips? You bet! Would I rather trust my frax from the DEXA than the fragility score from the REMS? Yep. But it’s not logical to compare the two tests in the first place, because they are completely different technologies. Some experts say the REMS is more reliable, others not. The naturopath who discussed my results with me only looked at the Zscores, which were not even osteopenia, and said to ignore the T scores and fragility score, so where do I put that?!
My gut tells me the DEXA is likely pretty accurate since it’s consistent, but I will repeat the REMS in a year or so to see if there is a decline with those results too. In the meantime, I keep trucking along with supplements, resistance training, running, and lots of questioning and researching. Is the REMS worth the trip and expense? It was for me, even with the doubt, because I would still be wondering and more info, even conflicting, is better in my mind.
Replies to "Is this your first DEXA? Personal trends are critical. I’ve had DEXAs over the last twenty..."
I recently had a REMS which was well worthwhile after 3 previous DEXA scans over 5 years. I have no doubt at least one of my DEXA spine scores was way off showing a .4 improvement after a year, from -2.8 to -2.4, on high dose Prednisone with minimal exercise! How could that be possible! My REMS spine T score showed a .5 improvement recently from -3.5 on DEXA to -3.0 6 months after the DEXA. I recommend looking at the REMS Facebook discussion group where you will find detailed instruction on how to read the REMS scores. My fragility score was 39.3 which is still on the edge of the low fracture risk green zone on the graph. It is important to keep in mind that the 5 year risk of an osteoporotic fracture is presented as a number out of a 1000 and not 100, so the score can be divided by 10 to get the percentage. My 5 year spine fracture risk was 35-60, so 3.5 - 6.0 percent risk of fracture. Your REMS spine T score of -1.8 from DEXA -3.7 raises questions for sure. I guess only another REMS and DEXA might provide answers. I will have another DEXA and REMS in 6 months to compare again, but I am relieved by the fragility score and 5 year fracture risk results of the REMS and glad to have the .5 spine improvement on REMS to compare with the DEXA.
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Oh my goodness, that sounds confusing and I will also want to believe the best scores from either scan. Thank you for taking the time to write.
By the way, I found a place in Vancouver after reading a post somewhere that the person had a scan in Vancouver. I've booked a REMS scan for Thursday. I also have my 2nd DEXA booked in June but it's a different clinic at a hospital this time as my doctor wants to get me into the "system". My first scan I paid for privately 6 months ago, I then panicked and had a Reclast infusion.
My Naturopath recommended HRT and was OK with the fact that I had a Reclast infusion, although she may have spoken differently if I had met with her before having it.
I'm so glad to hear that you are running! I was told not to run, jump or fall. Pretty limiting!
It was a weird feeling that I had in my lumbar spine when doing jumping jacks that led me to book my first DEXA (MD would not send me, too young). Needless to say that I don't do jumping jacks anymore. I do weight training, yoga and long dog walks, no more boot camps! 🙂
Thanks again for taking the time to share your journey .