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Mixed Dexa Scan Report
I just had a Dexa scan, 1st since 2022 which was normal. This scan shows normal and improving lumbar spine score...T Score of .9 and Z Score of 3.0 but osteoporosis in my left arm... T Score of -4.8 and Z Score of -2.6. They use my left arm since both hips have been replaced. We repeated left arm and results were the same. What does this mean?
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I know you are stressed about the arm. I was concerned when my most recent right arm came in at a -4.1. The rest of me is in osteopenia. Twenty years ago (I'm 79) that arm was measured at -3.5. I'm not sure what that all means as I've had several falls in the last few years where I've tried to break my fall with my hands. Nothing has broken to date and I am still riding a bicycle and snow skiing. I do a lot of planks and so far the arm hasn't snapped midway through my routine. I'm very small boned which I believe contributes to the crappy score. Then again I don't quite believe the good spine score as it is probably reading the calcium from my arthritis and scoliosis as bone. Stay positive and keep your spine strong.
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5 ReactionsMixed DEXA scan results, like yours, is called Discordance. By searching with that word you might find more articles applicable to your situation. For example the below referenced article discusses discordance in general.
I also have discordant DEXA results and, like yours, my spine is my better result.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8671031/
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2 Reactions@hungrybirder On my last Dexa I was told I had arthritis in my L3-L4 and they omitted that from the t-score calculation, which I remember reading is the correct protocol.
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1 Reaction@ I heard that getting DEXA results from different machines ,or even the same machine operated by another person can be quite different…are there other tests that are more consistent ?
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1 Reaction@hungrybirder Thank you for commenting. My last scan was in 2022...same place, same
machine, The reading this time was -40.3% change for the arm but a 6.7% improvement
for the spine. I will read up about discordance in dexa scores and see what I can find out.
My doctor says weight bearing exercise is the best. I am 70.
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1 Reaction@kfhoz Thank you for responding. I have found information on discordant results between
hips and spine, but not so much on the spine vs. arm. Will keep looking though!
I am glad my spine seems good at least.
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1 Reaction@nycmusic
I compared the density readings and T-scores obtained on machines manufactured by 2 different manufacturers. I purposefully had switched to a new location as I was not comfortable that the first one had positioned me properly. The T-score for my left femur was the same on both pieces of equipment after a 2-year gap. However, the density readings are drastically different (over 0.5 g/cm2) which means to me there is an inherent difference in the 2 systems to have different densities produce the same T-score.
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2 Reactions@normahorn
Huge mistake on my part. That is a density difference of over 0.05 g/cm2