Can a bone density test yield different results on different bones?

Posted by pamela11039 @pamela11039, 4 days ago

Has anyone experienced a bone density test on different bones and found one bone showing osteoporosis and another bone normal?

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Profile picture for sebutler @sebutler

@jozer I wondered this same thing, but someone on Mayo Clinic Connect sent me an article by a well-known expert in osteoporosis demonstrating that getting to a score of -1.5 is just as good at lowering the risk of a fracture as a score of -1.0, the standard score of a 30-year-old woman.

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@sebutler I think that the definition of 0 T score is the average of a 30yo woman, although -1.0 or better is considered within normal range.
https://www.uab.edu/shp/toneyourbones/step-2-bone-density-testing/the-results-of-your-scan/t-scores

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Profile picture for soggybones @soggybones

@dvargo I was told that here in the US Dexa is used to determine treatment. There seem to be a lot of people who get very different scores with Dexa and Rems. I'm going to get a Rems scan in February. I'm curious to see what it shows!

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@soggybones If dexa determines treatment, what does Rems determine? Again, my dexa was good and Rems not good. Which one to believe? I am doing my 2nd Rems next month, 20 min from my house. Feel so blessed to have this in our state.

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Profile picture for kfhoz @kfhoz

@sebutler I think that the definition of 0 T score is the average of a 30yo woman, although -1.0 or better is considered within normal range.
https://www.uab.edu/shp/toneyourbones/step-2-bone-density-testing/the-results-of-your-scan/t-scores

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@kfhoz Ah! Thanks for the clarification.

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Profile picture for dvargo @dvargo

@soggybones If dexa determines treatment, what does Rems determine? Again, my dexa was good and Rems not good. Which one to believe? I am doing my 2nd Rems next month, 20 min from my house. Feel so blessed to have this in our state.

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@dvargo I think most doctors will treat based on Dexa. Did you get a TBS score when they did your Dexa? That should tell you bone quality. That can be important in determining if you need treatment or not. If not then I would seek that out. Your REMS scan can evaluate bone quality so if your bone quality is compromised you can get a poor score. If Dexa only measured your bone density without TBS it's possible it gave you a misleading "good" result. You can have good bone density and poor bone quality.

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Profile picture for soggybones @soggybones

@dvargo I think most doctors will treat based on Dexa. Did you get a TBS score when they did your Dexa? That should tell you bone quality. That can be important in determining if you need treatment or not. If not then I would seek that out. Your REMS scan can evaluate bone quality so if your bone quality is compromised you can get a poor score. If Dexa only measured your bone density without TBS it's possible it gave you a misleading "good" result. You can have good bone density and poor bone quality.

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@soggybones correct. My quality with Rems was excellent, so no meds needed. Next time I do the dexa I will ask for the Tbs. If it matches Rems then I am good!

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