Detecting Osteoporosis
Posted by Ronald K. Redman on Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Under: Fosamax Lawsuit
When
all the risk factors are duly considered, no one is safe from
osteoporosis, medical experts say. As of the latest count, more than 10
million Americans, both men and women, have already been identified to
have acquired this brittle bone disease with 34 million more at high
risk. So that health plans will be initiated sooner, detecting the
disease before it develops further is crucial. As a result, it was
discovered that osteoporosis can be prevented through protein-rich diet.
Many
people push hard in preventing or treating osteoporosis, although some
of their measures may not be therapeutic at all. For example, drugs like
soy supplements that not diminish symptoms of osteoporosis are being
included in their therapy since many believed they are beneficial.
To determine if you are a candidate for osteoporosis, your bone mineral density (BMD) is being measured. The role of screening for osteoporosis is very crucial on your therapy; hence, listed below are some procedures that you might get to meet during checkup.
Dexa Scan (Dual X-ray Absorptiometry or DXA)
In measuring BMD, most doctors prefer DXA. The DXA scanner works by releasing 2 x-ray beams with varying amount of energy, one has a higher level and the other has lower. The amount of x-rays that passes through the bone determines the thickness of the bone and from there, the density of the bone can be measured.
Quantitative Computed Tomography
QCT bone densitometry uses high amount of exposure to radiation and costs a lot of money causing it to be unavailable for general clinical use. It uses CT scanner to get an accurate measurement of your bone health. The mechanism of action for QCT still uses a CT scanner and because it is 3 dimensional, this procedure is 2-3 times more sensitive that DXA scan.
Ultrasonography
The ultrasound is a relatively new diagnostic tool to measure BMD which does not require the use of radiation. The sonar beam is directed to a certain area where the scattering and the absorption of the waves will allow the assessment of BMD. This fairly new tool is still not as precise as the previous two techniques and perhaps more research are still being conducted about it.
Life with osteoporosis is never a joke. The bouts of the disease itself may already be a great suffering; and if you are taking bisphosphonates, the adverse effects of the drug may also be another. For instance, some long-term Fosamax users claimed they have been harmed by the prolonged use of the drug which triggered them to file a lawsuit against its maker. Now, as these lawsuits kept on increasing in number, the makers of the drug have to face a Fosamax class action lawsuit.
References:
newportbodyscan.com/OsteoporosisFAQ%27s.htm#6
webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/dexa-scan
Many
people push hard in preventing or treating osteoporosis, although some
of their measures may not be therapeutic at all. For example, drugs like
soy supplements that not diminish symptoms of osteoporosis are being
included in their therapy since many believed they are beneficial.To determine if you are a candidate for osteoporosis, your bone mineral density (BMD) is being measured. The role of screening for osteoporosis is very crucial on your therapy; hence, listed below are some procedures that you might get to meet during checkup.
Dexa Scan (Dual X-ray Absorptiometry or DXA)
In measuring BMD, most doctors prefer DXA. The DXA scanner works by releasing 2 x-ray beams with varying amount of energy, one has a higher level and the other has lower. The amount of x-rays that passes through the bone determines the thickness of the bone and from there, the density of the bone can be measured.
Quantitative Computed Tomography
QCT bone densitometry uses high amount of exposure to radiation and costs a lot of money causing it to be unavailable for general clinical use. It uses CT scanner to get an accurate measurement of your bone health. The mechanism of action for QCT still uses a CT scanner and because it is 3 dimensional, this procedure is 2-3 times more sensitive that DXA scan.
Ultrasonography
The ultrasound is a relatively new diagnostic tool to measure BMD which does not require the use of radiation. The sonar beam is directed to a certain area where the scattering and the absorption of the waves will allow the assessment of BMD. This fairly new tool is still not as precise as the previous two techniques and perhaps more research are still being conducted about it.
Life with osteoporosis is never a joke. The bouts of the disease itself may already be a great suffering; and if you are taking bisphosphonates, the adverse effects of the drug may also be another. For instance, some long-term Fosamax users claimed they have been harmed by the prolonged use of the drug which triggered them to file a lawsuit against its maker. Now, as these lawsuits kept on increasing in number, the makers of the drug have to face a Fosamax class action lawsuit.
References:
newportbodyscan.com/OsteoporosisFAQ%27s.htm#6
webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/dexa-scan
In : Fosamax Lawsuit