Iowa Specialty Hospital is proud to offer bone density imaging with the Discovery™ QDR bone densitometry system from Hologic®. This technology provides the best diagnostic tools to support the early detection and treatment of osteoporosis, and the most comprehensive platform for bone health assessment, obesity, visualization of calcification in the abdominal aorta that can indicate heart disease, and many other clinical applications.
Osteoporosis is a potentially crippling disease that affects over 75 million people worldwide and is often called the "silent disease", because bone loss happens without any symptoms. Osteoporosis occurs when bone loss is so severe that it causes bones to become porous, brittle, and more likely to break. If not prevented or left untreated, osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks.
Any bone can be affected, but fractures of the hip and spine are especially concerning. Each year, over one million people suffer hip fractures, which in most cases requires hospitalization and major surgery. It can devastate a person's ability to walk unassisted, and in 50% of the cases, a person may never regain their independence. Hip fractures may cause prolonged or permanent disability and sometimes death. Spinal or vertebral fractures also have serious consequences, including loss of height, severe back pain, and deformity.
Once patients are identified for osteoporosis, there are a number of treatments available that may not only stop the progression of bone loss, but may actually replenish bone, strengthen the skeleton, and decrease the risk of future fractures. Visit with your healthcare provider about your needs and to schedule a bone density test.
For more information, please visit our Locations and Hours page for contact information or download the Bone Density Scan brochure below.
