Osteoporosis is a skeletal disease that affects the elderly and is characterised by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, leading to fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures. Osteoporosis is a major cause of morbidity and contributes to the economic burden of an ageing population.
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Bone Health
IAEA E-Learning
IAEA Publications
A nuclear technique, dual-energy X ray absorptiometry (DXA), measures bone mineral content and bone area and then calculates bone mineral density.
DXA scans can be used to evaluate bone health in all ages, diagnose osteoporosis and monitor the effect of interventions on bone density. Optimizing bone health in early life is essential to long term osteoporosis prevention, with bone mass attained in early life the most important modifiable determinant of lifelong skeletal health.
