The definition of osteopenia is similar to osteoporosis; both are characterized by decreased bone density. This eMedTV Web page explains that osteopenia is a milder form of bone loss that could potentially progress to osteoporosis.
There are usually no osteopenia symptoms, and the disease can go undiagnosed until a fracture occurs. This eMedTV segment explains how, in the absence of osteopenia symptoms, regular bone density scans are used to screen for osteopenia.
As this eMedTV article explains, diagnosing osteopenia involves looking at a patient's risk factors, physical exam, and results from his or her bone density test. This page describes the bone density test and its role in diagnosing osteopenia.
A bone density scan is similar to an x-ray and measures bone health and response to osteoporosis treatment. This eMedTV page explains how a bone density scan is performed, how it is scored, and who should have a bone density scan.
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