Grove City Medical Center News

GCMC Takes Big Strides Toward
Osteoporosis Prevention and Care:
New Diagnostic Equipment &
Free Screenings/Educational Materials Now Available

Mickey Mantle, the famous New York Yankee baseball player is credited with saying, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” Upon hearing this quote, just about everyone over the age of forty smiles and nods in agreement as they relate to the fact that the aging process presents many health related changes and challenges.    

According to the National Institute of Health, one of the chief concerns for older adults is the development of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, which is the thinning and weakening of bones, may begin in middle age. An estimated 55% of people, age 50 years or older have low bone mass and as bones become increasingly porous and weak, the likelihood of fracture increases. Men and women alike tend to lose bone mass with age. However, women are at an even greater risk of developing osteoporosis. Orthopedic surgeon, Stephen Hribar, MD, comments, “After age 50 a woman’s risk of osteoporosis doubles every five years. In fact, every year more than 1.5 million fractures occur due to weak, porous bones. Of that figure, approximately 300,000 are hip fractures. Hip fractures are devastating and result in as many as 50,000 deaths per year. To help prevent osteoporosis, everyone should follow three basic steps toward protecting the density and strength of bones:

• Adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes weight-bearing exercise and a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D.

• Participate in osteoporosis screening programs. Testing is important as there are few symptoms in the early stages.

• If low bone density is detected, carefully follow your doctor’s treatment plan.”

In recent weeks GCMC ’s medical imaging department added two new pieces of equipment for measuring bone health. Chief Radiologist, Craig Trent, MD, notes, “The hospital’s new General Electric Prodigy DXA (Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry) Scanner is a powerful tool for measuring bone health and monitoring changes in bone density. Once a patient begins treatment for osteoporosis it is important to monitor progress through regular testing. The DXA is fast, precise and uses a very low dose of radiation.

Prodigy DXA: Measures Bone Density

The other new instrument is an Achilles Heel Scanner. Unlike the DXA, this device uses ultrasound technology to measure bone status. The heel is measured because its bone is similar to that found in the spine and hip, which is where most osteoporotic fractures occur.

The hospital will use this portable device at health fairs and community events as a screening and educational tool. In addition, women who have a mammogram at GCMC will be offered a complementary heel scan while waiting for their mammogram. The Achilles system provides the patient with immediate results and a report to provide to their physician for his or her review.

             

Note: Photographs courtesy of GE Medical Systems, Lunar