Staying active and getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise, as well as regular bone density tests at Jacksonville's Precision Imaging Centers, can help boost bone health.

Osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones, affects 10 million older Americans (80 percent of them women). And some of the causes may surprise you. To find out if you’ve been affected, opt for a bone density test. Jacksonville’s Precision Imaging Centers offers state-of-the-art digital imaging services to determine your risk for osteoporosis. Be sure to schedule your appointment if you are 65 or older, particularly if you’ve experienced any of the following:

• Medical treatment with glucocorticoids, antidepressants, Depo-Provera or Chemotherapy: Each of these medications / treatments has been linked with bone loss, particularly in patients who take them long-term and who were already at risk for bone loss at the time they began treatment. Bone health appears to return once women stop taking Depo-Provera, an injected contraceptive or cease chemotherapy treatments.
• Diabetes: Bone structure in diabetes patients is more porous than in those who don’t have the disease.
• Autoimmune disorders: Lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions are risk factors for bone loss, even in sufferers who forego medications.
• Kidney disease: Kidney disease can affect hormone levels and vitamin D levels, both of which can lead to bone loss.
• Estrogen deficiency: Menopause or anything else that causes a drop in estrogen levels can boost your chances of bone loss.
• Gastrectomy and weight-loss surgery: Removal of part of the stomach can affect the digestive tract’s ability to absorb calcium and vitamin D- both nutrients essential to bone health.
• Eating disorders: Eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia can lead to bone loss via malnutrition, excessive weight loss, calcium deficiencies, estrogen drops and overproduction of cortisol, known as the “stress hormone.”
• Immobility: Whether by being bedridden due to a medical condition for a long period of time or simply being a couch potato, immobility can weaken your bones. Being active and getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise can help strengthen them.
• Smoking: Smoking cigarettes is believed to interfere with calcium absorption and has been linked to bone fractures. Kick the habit and bone health will gradually return.
• Excessive alcohol: Drinking large amounts of alcohol can deplete your hormones and boost cortisol levels, thus affecting bone health. Plus, frequent drunken falls make you more susceptible to bone fractures and breaks.

If you believe you’re at risk for bone loss, even if you’re not yet 65 years old, contact Precision Imagining Centers for information on a bone densitometry test. Jacksonville’s top imaging provider can be reached at 904-996-8100, or via our online appointment request form.

Women are recommended to undergo a mammogram at age 40, a colonoscopy at 50 and bone density test at 65.

May 8-14 is National Women’s Health Week. Are you aware of the top recommended diagnostic imaging tests for women, Jacksonville? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, along with health organizations nationwide, highly recommends that women of certain ages undergo three diagnostic imaging tests. Jacksonville’s Precision Imaging Centers offers each of these tests and tips for what to expect:

1. Bone Density Test: Jacksonville women can find out whether they are at risk for osteoporosis with a bone density test, also known as a DXA (dual-energy X-ray). Osteoporosis is a weakening of the bones that affects nearly 10 million older Americans. A full 80 percent of them are women, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Women can lose upwards of 30 percent of their bone mass in the five to seven years following menopause, so it’s recommended that women get bone density tests at age 65 and every five years thereafter. Tests are especially important for women who weigh less than 127 pounds, have ever smoked, have had non-traumatic fractures as an adult or have a family history of osteoporosis.
2. Mammogram: Jacksonville women 40 and older should have a mammogram once a year, as well as a breast ultrasound or MRI if a calcium deposit or mass is spotted. If tests determine that a lump is a solid mass, a biopsy is the next step. Regular mammograms can help detect breast cancer when it’s confined to the breast. When diagnosed at this stage, 97 percent of women survive without a recurrence for at least five years, according to statistics gathered by the American Cancer Society.
3. Colonoscopy: Ok, Jacksonville women. We know this one ain’t no fun. But it’s important. And it doesn’t have to be quite as uncomfortable an issue as it once was. A colonoscopy can detect colorectal cancer even before symptoms occur. An optical colonoscopy involves the insertion of a long, flexible tube outfitted with a tiny camera into the patient’s anus and gently gliding it into the rectum and through the colon. In the less invasive virtual colonoscopy, a tube is inserted into the anus, but not advanced into the rectum. Instead, the tube fills the colon with air and a CT scan is performed to create virtual images of the colon. This less invasive procedure can prove just as effective in detecting polyps as an optical colonoscopy. That’s important because, when caught in its early stage, colorectal cancer is more than 90 percent curable.

To schedule your diagnostic imaging tests, contact Jacksonville’s Precision Imaging Centers at 904-996-8100 or via our online appointment scheduling feature.

If it's time for you to get osteoporosis screening, Jacksonville's Precision Imaging Centers can help.

Experts say that every one 50 and over should have a plan for avoiding bone loss, beginning with osteoporosis screening. Jacksonville’s Precision Imaging Centers, however, says it’s never too early to begin a lifestyle that lends itself to strong, healthy bones.

More than 44 million Americans are affected by the loss of bone mass, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Women are four times more likely than men to suffer from osteoporosis, particularly Caucasian and Asian women; small-boned women who weigh less than 127 pounds; and menopausal women. Men with low testosterone levels or who have had certain illnesses are also at higher risks for bone loss. Sedentary lifestyles, cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse put both women and men at risk for osteoporosis. A family history of osteoporosis and taking certain medications such as prednisone or phenytoin also are risk factors.

Jacksonville’s Precision Imaging Centers recommends osteoporosis screening, also known as a bone density test, for anyone age 65 and older and for younger, early menopausal women. We use state-of-the-art equipment and employ expert physicians and technicians to accurately measure bone density loss, allowing you and your doctor to tailor an effective plan for improving and maintaining your bone health. Other tips include:

1. Maintain an exercise regime that includes strength training, resistance training and weight bearing activities. These types of exercise help to build and maintain bone.
2. Eat a well-balanced diet high in protein, fruits and vegetables, and low in saturated or trans fat. Also include soy foods, which contain plant estrogens thought to help reduce bone loss.
3. Take vitamin and mineral supplements if your diet doesn’t contain enough calcium, vitamin D or magnesium.
4. Nix smoking and excessive drinking. Both impair calcium absorption and inhibit the growth of bone-building cells
5. If you’re at a high risk for osteoporosis, talk with your doctor about preventative medications.

If you would like more information on the benefits of and procedures for osteoporosis screening, Jacksonville, contact Precision Imaging Centers at 904-996-8100 or use our online appointment request form.

Bone Densitometry uses a very low dose of ionizing radiation to screen for or diagnose osteoporosis or other bone loss.  It measures bone strength and potential resistance to fracture.