Ask the doctor: Which bone density test should I have?
My doctor has recommended a bone density screening, but the medical center with the full-body scanner is a 45-minute drive from my house. A health fair at a neighborhood church offers a bone density test using a foot scanner. Would that be as accurate?However, there are limitations to ultrasound. It doesn't reliably exclude or confirm osteoporosis that would be found using a DEXA scanner, and there are no established criteria for diagnosing osteoporosis and recommending treatment based on ultrasound. If ultrasound finds that you're at high risk for a fracture, you'll need a DEXA scan to determine whether you need treatment.
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