Troubling difference between DEXA scan and Echolight

Similar but different. I had a DEXA in April, L1-4 was -3.2, it had been -2.9 for the last 5 years, my femoral neck was unchanged at -1.7. I was very surprised by the decrease in my spine. The technologist ran the analysis and said, “everything looks good, looks about the same”, but didn’t say what the t-score was, then he said “I’m just going to run the analysis again” and I ended up with the -3.2!
I had a REMS Echolight in June, my spine on that was -1.7, big difference. My hip scores were very similar to the DEXA. The physician who did the REMS test talked a lot about the test, how it differs from à DEXA , and was very confident in the results it produced for me. He told me I didn’t need meds and I could come back in 2 or 3 years if I wanted to have another scan. However he didn’t seem to have a good explanation for the discrepancy between the two spine results!

@bufflehead0,
I don’t have an answer to the differences between the DEXA and Echolight scores. I would, however, pay attention to the numbers - at the tender age of 52, I had my first DEXA at the suggestion of a CRNP, during a routine physical. The doc who read the results told me I had osteopenia and that I “didn’t need to do anything about it”. Because she didn’t read the DEXA results correctly, it came as a complete shock a few years later that I had OP at that time. WHAT!?

Perhaps a bit of what the DEXA meant and what might/will happen, sprinkled with a little advice and a stern warning would’ve helped then and now. Education is the first step; our members here have some great intel and advice.

Okay, okay, I hope I don’t fracture stepping off of my soapbox! Thanks all who took the time to read to the bottom. Beanieone out!

Cheers!

It's all very interesting and I'm wondering where all the bone in my spine supposedly went and when it left, since the CTx done in January had a value of 136. I'm not confident in the technician's ability and consider the training of the DEXA technicians might be more comprehensive. It will be an interesting talking point when I see the endocrinologist in October and the supposedly local "expert" in February.

Where did you have your Echo?

Where did you have your ECHO?

I have been told by several people you really can't compare the DEXA and REMS. that is like comparing Apples and oranges.

to hungrybirder
As I mentioned earlier in this forum, I too had a large difference in my REMS (2025) and DEXA (2024) scan. For my spine T was - 3,0 in Dexa and - 1,4 in REMS. I have done REMS for the first time and it was in Italy, a country that introduced REMS by an experienced endocrinologist . DEXA was made in Spain by technician, and I have doubts in this result. I have also posted the page from McCormick book where he explained what kind of mistakes can technicians make while doing DEXA. All depends on the trust to professional who is doing the test.

Had it at an Osteostrong facility which is why I have doubts about the qualifications of the technician. And I detected a slight suggestion at an upsell until I mentioned where I lived.

I too would feel more confident had the REMS been done by an Endocrinologist but that doesn't seem to be an option where I am. I believe the 5 DEXA scans done in sequential years at a major hospital by different technicians and showing similar results might be more believable. We'll see what the November scan shows.

I've heard that too, but I don't understand it. If they are both giving bone density readings for the same specific site, say left femoral neck, why shouldn't that information be comparable? My first REMS was pretty much the same as the DEXA I had six month before that. I'd been planning to stick with REMS, but I'm beginning to worry about its reliability given what I'm hearing from others.