Dexa Scan Results

My PCP sent me an email that said.  Good news your results are normal.

Is this an expected result? Not the normal part, I'm happy with that!!  

Do they generally give more information?  This was my first so I'm clueless.

I have no clue but normal is amazing, although I have never known offices to send an email, phone call yes but never email.

Anyway, congrats on the "normal"!

Thats great news, means you dont have osteoporosis!

And the first one is a baseline to compare to future ones as we age.

Thanks for the replies girls!

I use email for everything with my PCP at Kaiser.  My Sleeve surgeon ordered the Scan but I emailed my PCP and asked her to look for the results and get back to me.  I heard back by the next day.  I find email so much easier than trading phone calls back and forth.

Sounds like you are doing a great job on your vits and mins.  Hurray for normal and may we all approach that in various ways. 

Lee, ask for a copy of the report, if you wish. My PCP will copy and paste a report's results in the body of the secure message. He did this with chest X-Ray results (when there had been a change), a copy of the echocardiogram that I had when I was hospitalized, a copy of the Dexa Scan results, and a few others.

If your PCP doesn't want to do this, you can always request a copy of the Dexa Scan results through the medical secretaries office. Just have to sign a release of information for yourself.

Hope this helps.

Gail

Lee - Congrats to you and your BONES!  LOL

Meg

It is great that you have "normal" results. It puts your mind at ease; however, it does not help you compare the results to your next Dexa scan .

You really should know your numbers. Your report will have the  following:

BMD (bone mineral density) score which should be +1.0 or above.

T-score (for women) compares your bone mass to a thirty year old woman. They use the age of thirty because that is the age in women where we have peak bone mass. The ideal T score would be +1 with +1 to -1 being normal.   Anything less than -2.5 (number getting more negative) is a sign of osteoporosis.

Z score compares your BMD to other woman your age and will usually be in percentage of fractures your age group gets and where you compare.

Of course, your doctor should explain in detail your results but sometimes all someone wants to hear is "your normal" and doctors leave it at that.

The most I've got was your thin bones are better than expected, lol. You got the standard info but of course its YOUR scan so asK for more info if this was too scant. You never know what you may learn. Wish I questioned 'normal' thirty years ago.

I am sorry but I disagree with you.  It is not standard info to just be told that your thinning bones are better than expected.  Does that mean you have osteopenia, osteoporosis, or within nornal range?  I would never accept those results.  I am always given a T score, Z score and then a few days later a copy of the report comes in the mail.  And this hasn't been with just one doctor.  I have been getting them every 2 years since 1999 - with my Gyn, Rheumotologist and Endocrinologist.  I always go to the same place, so the results are always compared to the prior report but whichever doctor I am at when I am due, that is who I ask for the script and I have copies sent to them all.

I wan't details and to see a report.  If someone was to tell me that I have thinning bones, then I want to know how thin and can treatment help me.  I don't sit back without lots of questions and inquire about treatments that can help me.  I am only 48 years old now and have been getting DEXA scans for 12 years, since I was 36.  I am high risk for Osteoporosis = with both parents having it.  Thankfully as of 2009 I was fine but not so sure about this time.  I am now post menopausal and over 2 years post op.  We shall see in Sept, when I am due for my next one.