A bone density test - the DEXA or DXA scan - is a quick, low-dose x-ray that measures the minerals packed into your hip and spine bones.
The result shows whether bone is normal, thinned (osteopenia), or brittle (osteoporosis). It matters because osteoporosis is silent until the first fracture, and the scan finds the thinning years earlier, when treatment can still change the trajectory.
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Common questions
What is a bone density test?
A bone density test - also called a DEXA or DXA scan - is a low-dose x-ray that measures the calcium and other minerals packed into your bones, usually at the hip and spine. More minerals means denser, stronger, less breakable bone; the measurement produces a score that shows whether your bones are normal, thinned into osteopenia, or thinned further into osteoporosis, the disease where bones become brittle enough to break from minor falls. The scan takes minutes, involves no needles or enclosed machines, and exposes you to very little radiation. It matters because osteoporosis is silent until the first fracture - the test finds the thinning years earlier, when medication, calcium, vitamin D, and weight-bearing exercise can still change the trajectory. Osteoporosis is most common in women over 65, which is where routine screening focuses, with earlier testing for people with risk factors like long-term steroid use or early menopause. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you assess your risk factors.