Bone Densitometry (DXA)

Bone densitometry, or DXA, is a quick, painless scan that measures bone mineral density to assess the risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. It uses a very low dose of X-rays to compare the density of your bones — usually the lumbar spine and hip — against reference values. The MEDIAG department at 1. poliklinika Karlovy Vary scans on a Hologic QDR Discovery whole-body densitometer, with the exam taking about 10 to 15 minutes and requiring no special preparation. A whole-body scan is also available for patients with metabolic bone disorders or after a transplant, with the exact protocol decided by the indicating doctor. You lie still on a padded table while the scanner arm passes overhead; there is nothing to insert or inject.

Bone densitometry — dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DXA — is the standard, non-invasive way to measure how dense and strong your bones are, which is the key factor in assessing osteoporosis and your risk of fragility fractures. The scan uses a very low dose of X-rays (far lower than a standard X-ray) to measure bone mineral density at the sites most predictive of fracture, typically the lumbar spine and the hip, and compares your results against age- and sex-matched reference values to produce T-scores and Z-scores your doctor uses to guide treatment. At the MEDIAG radiodiagnostics department inside 1. poliklinika Karlovy Vary the scan is performed on a Hologic QDR Discovery whole-body bone densitometer. The exam is quick and comfortable: it takes about 10 to 15 minutes, requires no special preparation, and is completely painless and non-invasive — you simply lie still on a padded table in your normal clothes (sometimes asked to remove metal items over the scan area) while a scanner arm passes slowly overhead. There is nothing to swallow, insert or inject. As well as the standard spine and hip measurement, a whole-body scan is available for patients with metabolic bone disorders or those who have had a transplant, with the indicating doctor choosing the exact exam type to suit the clinical question. Who benefits: postmenopausal women and older men being assessed for osteoporosis, people on long-term steroids or with conditions that weaken bone, anyone who has had a low-trauma fracture, and patients needing follow-up to see whether bone-protecting treatment is working. The department recommends, where possible, repeating follow-up scans on the same machine so results are directly comparable over time. By-appointment booking applies, although acute cases may be scanned without an appointment if the referring doctor indicates urgency. In the Czech system this is an insurance-covered procedure performed on a doctor's referral; international and self-pay patients should call ahead for a price and to confirm referral requirements.