St.Vincent Osteoporosis Center
Osteoporosis is a significant loss of bone
density and strength that affects millions of women and men in the United
States. The only way to tell if you have osteoporosis is by measuring bone mass
through a specialized bone density test.
A bone density test can help:
- Detect osteoporosis before a fracture occurs
- Predict your future chance of fracture
- Determine your rate of bone loss and/or monitor the effects of
treatment if the test is conducted at intervals of a year or more
The St.Vincent Osteoporosis Center, located
in the comfort and privacy of the St.Vincent Breast Center, offers
state-of-the-art technology in bone density testing, as well as educational
information and osteoporosis risk assessments.
A physician’s decision to test for bone mass density (BMD)
should be based on your individual risk profile. Testing may not be recommended
unless the results of the tests could influence a treatment decision. In
general, BMD should be performed on:
women aged 65 and older regardless of risk factors.*
postmenopausal women with one or more risk factors (other than being white,
post- menopausal, and female).
women who present with fractures (to confirm diagnosis and determine disease
covers BMD testing for the following individuals age 65 and older:
- Estrogen deficient women at clinical risk for
- Individuals with vertebral abnormalities
- Individuals receiving, or planning to
receive, long-term glucocorticoid (steroid) therapy
- Individuals with primary hyperparathyroidism
- Individuals being monitored to assess the
response or efficacy of an approved osteoporosis drug therapy
Note: Medicare permits individuals to repeat BMD
testing every two years.
Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation
For more information, please call the St.Vincent Osteoporosis Center at (317) 338-9595 or toll-free at (866) 788-7732.