Bone Density Screenings

Advanced Screening Exams for Bone Strength and Osteoporosis

At Mount Sinai South Nassau, a test called bone densitometry is the gold standard for measuring the density of your bones. This quick, painless exam is also called a DEXA scan. And it’s an extremely important part of helping prevent and treat thinning bones caused by osteoporosis, as well as the sometimes debilitating pain and broken bones related to it.

At the Mount Sinai South Nassau Center for Women's Imaging, the areas screened during a DEXA scan are usually the lower spine, hips and wrist. During the 15-minute exam, we use an extremely low-dose X-ray to measure bone minerals, which are very closely related to bone strength and your potential for a broken bone. The dose of X-ray is low, about one-quarter to one-tenth the radiation used for an ordinary chest X-ray.

Based on the results of the bone density scan, your physician might recommend changes in diet, or medicines to slow down bone loss or even improve bone strength.