When should you get a bone scan?

WHAT YOUR RESULTS MEAN After you have a bone density scan, you’ll be given what’s known as a T score. This compares the condition of your bones with a young healthy person. The lower your

score, the higher your risk is for a fracture. Here’s a quick look at what these results mean. NORMAL BONE DENSITY. If you fall into this category, your T-score is between +1 and -1. You’ll

still need to take steps to prevent bone loss, like getting enough calcium and vitamin D and doing weight-bearing exercise. LOW BONE MASS (OSTEOPENIA). If your T-score is between -1.1 and

-2.4, you don’t have osteoporosis yet, but are at risk. Your doctor will talk to you about steps you can take to prevent osteoporosis, which includes lifestyle changes and sometimes even

medications. OSTEOPOROSIS. This is a T-score of -2.5 or less. Your doctor will usually recommend osteoporosis medications, calcium and vitamin D supplements, along with an exercise program.

  WHAT ABOUT FOLLOW-UP SCANS? If you do have osteoporosis, your doctor will most likely want you to have a repeat scan in two years. “We want to see if there is evidence that the medication

you’re on is working, and it’s also a good time to have a conversation with your provider about whether you’ve been able to adhere to therapy,” Adler says. Your doctor may also recommend

repeat testing in two years even if you don’t have osteoporosis but have a medical condition that puts you at increased risk of a fracture. If you have osteopenia, most experts recommend

that you have a repeat test in three to five years, to make sure the condition isn’t progressing. There are no set recommendations on how often to have a repeat bone scan if your original

one was normal. But in general, it’s still a good idea to have a repeat scan in about five years, Rosen advises. “Women on average lose about 1 percent of their bone every year, which is

significant,” he explains. If you break a bone before your five-year follow-up, get another bone mineral density test. Research from the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation has found

that only 5 percent of men and 9 percent of women using traditional Medicare received a bone mineral density test within six months following a new fracture. “You don’t want to go on to have

a second, more serious fracture that lands you in a nursing home,” Rosen stresses.