Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has established dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the best densitometric technique for assessing bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women and has based the definitions of osteopenia and osteoporosis on its results. DXA enables accurate diagnosis of osteoporosis, estimation of fracture risk and monitoring of patients undergoing treatment. Additional features of DXA include measurement of BMD at multiple skeletal sites, vertebral fracture assessment and body composition assessment, including fat mass and lean soft tissue mass of the whole body and the segments. This book contains reviews and original studies about DXA and its different uses in clinical practice (diagnosis of osteoporosis, monitoring of BMD measurement) and in medical research in several situations (e.g. assessment of morphological asymmetry in athletes, estimation of resting energy expenditure, assessment of vertebral strength and vertebral fracture risk, or study of dry bones such as the ulna).