With a bone mineral density test (BMD), you can measure the thickness or density of your bones.

A bone mineral density test, or BMD test, is a medical test that measures the thickness or density of bones. Unlike a nuclear medicine test or bone scan, a BMD test is relatively simple and painless, making it one of the most convenient medical tests available.

A BMD test is also the only way to diagnose osteoporosis before a bone breaks. As such, it is an essential tool for monitoring bone health and detecting bone problems early on. If you are concerned about your bone health, talk to your doctor about getting a BMD test. It could be the first step towards maintaining healthy bones for life.

Types of pain

Why is BMD test important?

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that progressively destroys bone tissue, making bones fragile and susceptible to fractures. Unfortunately, osteoporosis can be difficult to detect because it develops slowly and silently over time. However, a bone mineral density (BMD) test can be used to measure the thickness or density of bones, and this can be helpful in diagnosing osteoporosis before a bone fracture occurs. BMD tests are simple and convenient, and they offer the best chance of identifying osteoporosis early on. As such, they are an important tool in managing this debilitating disease.

Who should have a BMD test done?

  • Women in the age group of 65 and above.
  • Men in the age group of 70 and above.
  • Women below 65 years who have touched the menopause stage and have a risk for osteoporosis
  • Determine whether a patient is a good candidate for a procedure such as angioplasty.
  • Individuals who fracture a bone postage 50 or have undergone a height loss of one and a half inches.
  • Individuals above 50 years taking drugs associated with bone loss or low bone mass.
BMD

Appointment

Please enter dates and times you will be available for an appointment. This will enable us to book your appointment quickly.

Some things you need to inform the technician prior to getting the BMD test done:

  • Stop taking calcium supplements 24 hours before your test
  • Wear loose-fitting clothing with no metal
  • Tell your doctor if you might be pregnant

What does our customer say about us?

I had an appointment today for ultrasound and x-ray.Everyone I dealt with was polite , professional and pleasant. COVID protocols were followed and the offices were very clean.

Anita O'connell

Excellent service. Carona is so friendly at the reception desk. Made my day. I would always go to this clinic from now on. Both my xray and mammogram were done very professionally.

K Niko

Frequently Asked Questions.

Most general exams do not require an appointment and can be done on a walk-in basis. You may want to contact us first if the examination is something complex like a skeletal survey.

Yes, you will need a requisition from your doctor or nurse practitioner for all examinations.

If you have time to prepare before the exam, we ask that you shower, refrain from wearing scented products (due to patients and employees with allergies) and wear clothing that is easily removed if necessary. T-shirts with no heavy appliqué and elastic waist pants or shorts are ideal and in many cases these can be x-rayed through. You may be asked to remove items that may interfere with the exam such as earrings, necklaces, glasses, dentures (upper spine), belly button rings (lower spine), nylons, tensor bandages, and splints (unless otherwise advised by your doctor). It is recommended that you leave valuables at home as the clinics do not have a secure location to store these items.

You should not have an x-ray during the first trimester of your pregnancy. If your doctor approves an x-ray during your pregnancy this will be indicated on your requisition and lead shielding can be applied to your abdominal region.

We request that you do not bring children with you to your exam. To prevent exposure to the radiation they cannot enter the x-ray rooms with you. Because our staff needs to focus on other patients they are not able to supervise children in the waiting room. Please arrange to leave the children at home or to bring another adult to watch them in the waiting room.

General exams can range from 10 minutes in length (finger) to 45 minutes (complete spine or skeletal survey).

Our technologists are registered and are specially trained to perform your exam, but only radiologists are qualified to interpret your results. For this reason, our technologists cannot discuss what they see with you.

You have the option to purchase a CD of your images. Please ask the receptionist about the fee and processing time for this service.

Your results are reviewed first by the radiologist and the report is usually faxed to your doctor by the end of the day. Urgent results will be phoned or faxed to your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor also has the option to view your results online.