Dear Doctors: I just turned 65, and my doctor wants me to have a bone density test. What is it, and how does it work? Dear Reader: A bone mineral density test, or BMD, measures the strength of one’s ...
If a doctor thinks a person may have osteoporosis or be at risk, they may recommend a bone density scan or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA) scan. These scans use an X-ray to measure the ...