Bone Densitometry
AVAILABLE AT: Mediclinic Bloemfontein
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It’s So Gentle, Many Patients Think Nothing Happened
A DEXA scan uses such a tiny amount of radiation that many South Africans joke:
“I’ve had hotter days in the Karoo than this scan.”
Not Just for Bones
Many practices in SA use DEXA for body composition scans, popular with fitness trainers, athletes, and anyone wanting to measure muscle vs fat.
One of the Fastest “Serious” Scans
A full bone density scan takes about 10–20 minutes.
MRI and CT? They look at DEXA like:
“Teach me your ways.”
What is Bone Densometery?
A Bone Densitometry (DEXA Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) scan is quick and painless and the preferred procedure for diagnosing osteoporosis.
Using low-dose X-rays with two distinct energy peaks that are absorbed by soft tissue and bone respectively, a total density value is obtained. By subtracting the soft tissue density value from this total, the bone mineral density is obtained.
Values for the lower spine and femur are usually calculated. The calculated bone mineral density is then compared to values from normal reference populations to determine if it falls into normal, osteopenia or osteoporotic ranges.