What they never told me about dexascans

The technicians who did my three yearly dexa scans did warn me.

So we are being diagnosed by machines unable to produce consistent results?! What happens when the one facility you have been using updates to a new machine? Suddenly your results go haywire? Somebody in manufacturing needs to go back to the drawing board!!!!

This is maddening !

Do dexascans allow for difference in bone size. I have very small bones and diagnosed with osteoporosis of the hip. I wonder how accurate these tests are.

Yes, maddening but I think I learned (read so much it is getting hard to attribute from where!) that despite there being variation between DEXA readings on different machines there is not wild variation. Otherwise, all the readings would really be useless!

So if you have severe osteoporosis you will still fall in the osteoporosis, or severe osteoporosis, range ....seems there may be a slight concern for recommended treatment (or none) for those persons with low-level osteoporosis, or osteopenia. These people might be over-treated by pharma. But I doubt those of us who have severe op would be over-treated; if we accept treatment regardless of variations in the DEXA scores across machines even if we only have moderate op, we could become low op or hit the osteopenia range.

Key is when you relocate to try to find a provider/location that has the same DEXA machine used in your past...then you will have a clearer picture whether you improved, or backslide, due to the brands specific calibrations.

I asked my MD how important it truly was to be on same machine, same technician, etc. I said that people move, technicians quit, machines get replaced, etc. He said it is preferred, not required. My thought right now is to go to a facility near me that does DEXA with TBS (the one my doc sends me to doesn't know what TBS is). Of course it would be private pay; plus every one of them need a referral from a physician (which I have). Medicare doesn't cover every year just every two. Some of us have doctors that must get around that; mine (so far) does not. But I don't think our numbers would be dramatically different on different machines/technicians etc. I think numbers would be in the "range" for needing treatment regardless of what machine we are tested on.

At least you got a scan and treatment if needed! Most men don’t. My husband’s oncologist (prostate)office has just started doing them for men going on hormone depravation meds. That is another factor that contributes to osteoporosis and is important to know.

@babybear77 This is discussed in this support group under the title: Do petite women get over-diagnosed with osteoporosis?

Interesting article on this topic: https://betterbones.com/testing/better-bones-better-body-success-story/

@babybear77 That's a question I have as well.