This procedure is an examination that uses a special machine to scan the lower spine and one of the hips, to assess for possible osteoporosis or reduced bone density.
You will be required to lie on your back on a comfortable padded table for the duration of the procedure. A narrow "arm" passes over you during the procedure. There is no feeling of claustrophobia and no injections are necessary.
The procedure is performed by a trained technician and is reported by a radiologist (a specialist trained to read x-rays and bone mineral densitometry images).
Preparation
No specific preparation is necessary for this test. The test should not be performed within a period of 72 hours following a nuclear bone scan or within one week following a barium study (barium meal, small bowel barium followthrough or barium enema). Any previous x-rays should be brought to the examination as these may help in the interpretation of results.
Examination Time
The examination will take approximately 30-40 minutes to complete.
Procedure
You will be asked to change into a gown to remove the possibility of confusing shadows from your clothing. Cotton underpants without metal (eg. zips, buttons) should be worn for the examination.
You will be positioned on the scanner by the technician. Your legs will be correctly positioned on the scan table using a comfortable foam block.
There is no need to hold your breath however, it is important to remain as still as possible throughout the examination.
The technician remains in the room during the examination and can be spoken to throughout.
Following the scan, the information obtained is processed by computer and reported by the radiologist.
The cost of the scan may be claimed from Medicare under certain circumstances. Unfortunately, these criteria are very strict and many patients are not eligible to claim a Medicare rebate and are therefore required to pay a fee at the time of consultation.