Amandeep Hospital Introduces Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) Scan in Amritsar

With the advancement in technology, the healthcare sector has been improving and modernizing itself every minute.

And to upkeep with the pace of advancement in medical technology, Amandeep Hospital has been constantly adopting the latest technologies for diagnosis of the diseases and treatment.

Recently, Amandeep Hospital has proved why it is the leading healthcare provider in the region by making DEXA Scan a part of its technology for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders.

Let us help you understand what DEXA Scan is and why it holds a prominent position when it comes to diagnosis of the bone-related disorders.

What is DEXA Scan?

A DEXA Scan is a special type of X-ray that measures the density of the bone mineral. It stands for “dual energy X-ray absorptiometry”.

It is a non-invasive test which helps in assessing whether a person is at risk of osteoporosis or fracture. This test is capable of detecting even 1 percent of bone loss whereas a regular X-ray shows changes in the bone density when the body has suffered 40 percent of the bone loss.

Rendering more accurate results, this scan also helps to predict the odds of a future fracture and also assists one to determine when one needs to start medications to prevent bone loss.

DEXA scan is helpful in various conditions like -

• to assess how well the osteoporosis treatment is working
• if one is suffering from back pain which may be caused due to spine fractures
• if one has lost height of half-inch or more within one year

This scan is also recommended for some other group of people which includes:-

• women who have reached menopause
• people with a personal or medical history of hip fracture
• smokers
• post-menopausal women who are tall or thin
• men with clinical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or chronic kidney disease
• people with a thyroid condition
• people with Type 1 diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease
• people who’ve had a fracture after a mild trauma

The test takes only 10 to 30 minutes depending upon the part which is being examined.

During the DEXA scan test

The patient is asked to lie on a padded table below which is an X-ray generator, and above it is an imaging device that looks like a mechanical arm.

DEXA scan usually focuses on spine and hip because these two areas are the ones which are more prone to fractures due to low bone density.

The technician then sends a thin, invisible beam of low-dose which will emit two energy peaks.

One energy peak is absorbed by the soft tissues and another by bone.

This scan reveals the total bone mineral density by subtracting the amount of radiation absorbed by the soft tissue from the total.

The scan is painless but one needs to hold his breath for a few seconds in order to avoid the image from getting blurry.

Results of DEXA Scan

The results of a bone density are provided in two ways: T-scores and Z-scores. One needs to know how these scores are interpreted.

• A T-score of greater than -1 is considered normal
• A T-score of -1 to -2.5 indicates the risk of developing osteoporosis
• A T-score of less than -2.5 is diagnostic of osteoporosis

A Z-score helps in comparing your results to others of the same age, weight, ethnicity, and gender.

• A Z-score over 2.0 is normal
• A Z-score below 2.0 is considered below the expected range

DEXA Scan at Amandeep Hospital

At Amandeep Hospital, DEXA scan has been introduced to get more accurate scanning results and to get help in building up effective treatments around the results generated after the scan.

With the modern technique, DEXA scan shall surely benefit our patients and help us in getting the right results.

Originally published at http://amandeephospital.org on February 28, 2019.