The doctors and nurses at the emergency room in Jacksonville, Florida, were “perplexed,” as Dia Thomas remembers it. They believed her when she said she was in pain—imaging had revealed fractures in ...

For a sidebar on how this story came together, click here. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) has long been the gold standard for osteoporosis screening. But now, thousands of patients may be ...

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that’s common in the United States, affecting almost 20 percent of women and 5 percent of men over age 50. Osteoporosis occurs when bones are weakened by hormone shifts ...

A biopsy is the only test that can confirm a cancer diagnosis. However, before doctors conduct a biopsy, they may take a person’s medical history, perform a physical exam, and order various imaging ...

Preparing for a medical test often triggers health anxiety, making it easy to worry about hidden conditions and care needs. While a DEXA scan is the gold standard for spotting osteoporosis and weak ...

Doctors can often spot bone cancer as ragged or hollow areas on an X-ray. While X-rays are usually a reliable first test, a doctor will typically need a bone biopsy to confirm a diagnosis. An X-ray ...

Preventive screenings, such as bone density tests, can help identify potential medical problems. Medicare covers some costs. Bone density tests may help prevent expensive reparative treatments.