| What
will I experience during the examination?
At
the examination, you will be required to lie on a table. The
x-ray source underneath the table and a pivoting arm on top
will move slowly over the selected area of the body and the
metabolic activity of this area will be read. You will experience
no pain during the examination and you will not need to undress,
unless you are wearing clothes with a zip fastening. The procedure
should take no longer than half an hour.
The radiographer will be sitting next to you to control the
machine and you will be able to ask her questions during the
examination.
Back
to Osteoporosis Screening Menu |
Osteoporosis
(brittle bone disease) is a condition where there is loss
of bone mineral density. As we get older, this occurs as a
natural process and our bones become thinner because new bone
is not being replaced as quickly as old bone is lost. This
disease affects one woman in three and one man in twelve in
the United Kingdom. Half of all affected people will experience
a fracture by the time they are 70 years old and more than
150,000 fractures are caused yearly by this disease. Osteoporosis
is a condition that can be prevented and treated in most diagnosed
cases.
What
does the equipment look like?