In a study that could lead to wide use of inexpensive ultrasound screenings for osteoporosis, researchers found data from ultrasonography of the calcaneus (heel bone) was equal to data gathered using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), which is considered the gold standard for assessing bone health. The findings could lead to lower costs and increased screening for populations at-risk for bone diseases, which study authors say extends well beyond postmenopausal women....
Tag: <span>Osteoporosis</span>
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What to know about DEXA scans
A DEXA scan usually assesses or measures bone density. It may also have uses in determining body composition, such as the percentage of lean muscle and fat. The dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan uses two low-energy X-ray beams, which doctors direct toward the bones. Using dual energy levels separates the images into two components, including...
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What’s the right age to test for osteoporosis?
When bone density drops but isn’t yet at the level of osteoporosis, it’s called osteopenia. Osteopenia affects more than 33 million Americans over age 50, men and women, while 10 million have osteoporosis. Yet the DEXA scan, the painless X-ray-based test that measures bone density, isn’t recommended for women until age 65, when they may...
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People with osteoporosis should avoid spinal poses in yoga, Mayo Clinic study says
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Yoga postures that flex the spine beyond its limits may raise the risk of compression fractures in people with thinning bones, according to research from Mayo Clinic. The results appear in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Medical Xpress Researchers at Mayo Clinic and elsewhere have described injuries from yoga. This study examines injuries in...
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Osteoporosis breakthrough: Bone mass increased by 800 percent
A groundbreaking set of studies has found that blocking certain receptors in the brain leads to the growth of remarkably strong bones. Could a new osteoporosis treatment be on the horizon? Primarily a disease of old age, osteoporosis can cause bones to become gradually weaker. Image: Osteoporosis most commonly affects older women. Over time, bones become so porous that minor...
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Ultra-sturdy bones, with a surprising origin, suggest new osteoporosis approach
After blocking estrogen signals in brain, experts say they’ve ‘never seen bone this strong’ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – SAN FRANCISCO IMAGE: BONES LIKE THE FEMUR (THIGH BONE) NORMALLY BECOME WEAK AND POROUS IN AGING MICE (71 WEEKS, LEFT), BUT AN EXPERIMENTAL CHANGE IN BRAIN SIGNALING LED TO MUCH DENSER AND STRONGER. CREDIT: CANDICE HERBER / UCSF...
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Coaxing’ stem cells to form new bone tissue
New research has identified a possible way to manipulate certain stem cells to generate new bone tissue. The results of this investigation could vastly improve the outcome for people with skeletal injuries or conditions such as osteoporosis. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to specialize and undertake any function. Image: A new study looks at how to encourage stem cells to form new bone tissue rather than...
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A new ‘atlas’ of genetic influences on osteoporosis
A ground-breaking new study led by researchers from the Lady Davis Institute (LDI) at the Jewish General Hospital (JGH) has succeeded in compiling an atlas of genetic factors associated with estimated bone mineral density (BMD), one of the most clinically relevant factors in diagnosing osteoporosis. The paper, published in Nature Genetics, identifies 518 genome-wide loci,...
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Wider Use Of Osteoporosis Drug Could Prevent Bone Fractures In More Elderly Women
A large study has produced strong evidence that a drug commonly used to treat the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis could safely prevent fractures in elderly women who have bones that aren’t as weak. Osteoporosis specialists are considering wider use of a drug to strengthen bones in elderly women. The study of 2,000 women age 65 and...
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Bone Mineral Density at Forefront in Genetic Fracture Risk Meta-Analysis
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – A new genome-wide association meta-analysis supports the notion that bone mineral density is a crucial factor in fracture risk. As they reported online yesterday in the British Medical Journal, researchers from 23andMe, the Genetic Factors for Osteoporosis (GEFOS) consortium, and the Genomos consortium brought together genotyping data for 37,857 bone fracture cases and 227,116 unaffected controls...