Unexplained pain in the elderly? Experts recommend such tests

Dual-energy X-ray is the "gold standard" for measuring bone density.

Bone mineral density is the full name of bone mineral density, which is an important indicator of bone strength, can reflect the degree of osteoporosis, and is an important basis for predicting the risk of fracture. The relationship between fracture risk and bone mineral density is geometric.

At present, bone mineral density can not only diagnose osteoporosis, but also be used for clinical efficacy observation and epidemiological investigation, which has significant advantages in predicting osteoporotic fractures.

How is bone density measured?

In clinical practice, the common detection methods of bone mineral density include X-ray, ultrasound, dual-energy X-ray, quantitative CT and so on. X-ray and ultrasound are the most common bone mineral density detection methods, which are simple to operate, but can only roughly detect bone mineral density value, which is not very accurate. Dual-energy X-ray is the "gold standard" for measuring bone density.

How to read test results?

The results of the bone mineral density examination are usually reported as T-values and Z-values.

T-values are used to indicate bone mineral density levels in postmenopausal women and men over 50 years of age. For children, premenopausal women, and men younger than 50 years of age, bone mineral density levels are recommended as a Z-value.

A smaller T-or Z-value indicates a higher risk of fracture. According to the standards recommended by the World Health Organization, T-values ≥-1 belong to the normal range, -1 to -2.5 belong to low bone mass, and ≤-2.5 is osteoporosis. Low bone mass is a prelude to osteoporosis and also requires medical intervention if necessary.

Does osteoporosis cause pain?

Osteoporosis can cause pain and can cause a variety of different types of pain, such as muscle pain, bone pain, joint pain, nerve pain, and even ligament and tendon pain. Therefore, when the elderly have unexplained pain, the problem of bone thinning must be taken into account.