How is bone assessed?

The assessment of bone mainly relies on standard radiographs, CT, MRI, and bone scintigraphy depending on the anatomic region complexity and clinical scenario. Ultrasound (US), due to different acoustic impedance between soft tissues and the bone cortex, only allows the evaluation of the bone surfaces.

What is a bone profile?

A bone profile is a commonly ordered blood test and includes: This guide gives an overview of the tests included in a bone profile and a structured approach to bone profile interpretation. You may be interested in our other blood test interpretation guides, including full blood count interpretation and interpreting liver function tests (LFTs).

What is bone density scanning (DXA)?

Bone density scanning, also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or bone densitometry, is an enhanced form of x-ray technology that is used to measure bone loss. DXA is today's established standard for measuring bone mineral density (BMD). An x-ray exam helps doctors diagnose and treat medical conditions.

Does ultrasound measure bone density in astronauts?

We excluded two studies that used ultrasound to evaluate bone density in three astronauts 24, 59 because two ultrasound measurement techniques reported inconsistent data for the same individuals. Bone formation/resorption markers measured using multiple methods at a given time point for a group of astronauts were combined as unweighted means.