The Simple Departimental Structure of General Medicine provides consultation in the Orthopaedic Wards for both inpatients and outpatients:

• bone densitometry;   
• visits for metabolic diseases of bone-osteoporosis.

Bone Densitometry scan by absorption of X-rays (DEXA)

This is the method of choice in the instrumental diagnosis of osteoporosis. It uses a beam of X-rays, that by crossing the bone segment give an accurate and precise measurement of bone density, offering the best assessment of a patient's risk of suffering bone fractures while the level of radiation emitted is very limited.
The measurement of density can be taken in various skeletal areas:

• Lumbar spine (to measure bone mass and evaluate the risk of vertebral and non vertebral fractures)
• Proximal Femur (to measure bone mass and evaluate the risk of vertebral and non vertebral fracture)
• Radium
• Total body scan is not generally used to measure bone density but to study body composition (bone mass, muscular mass e fat mass)

How does the scan take place

The patient is lies down on the bed and the scanner is positioned on the selected bone area. The scan takes about 3 minutes for each segment examined.

Patient Preparation

No specific preparation is necessary and fasting is not required.
At least 2 days must pass between scintigraphy with 99m7C and densitometry; more time might be necessary for scintigraphy with other isotopes.
The scan must be delayed 3 days after diagnostic examinations using barium contrast medium.

Visits for metabolic diseases of bone-osteoporosis

Outpatient activity for metabolic diseases is focused on diagnosis and treatment of suspect or assessed metabolic diseases of bone. The main pathologies treated are primary and secondary osteoporosis, osteomalacia, Paget’s disease, primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism, and hypercalcemia.
The center also follows with a simplified diagnostic procedure patients with osteoporotic fractures previously hospitalized in the Institute’s Orthopaedic Wards.
For visits and densitometry the outpatient clinic is open Monday to Friday at the hospital in Via G.C. Pupilli 1.
The Simple Departimental Structure of General Medicine carries out clinical research on metabolic diseases of bone and on clinical and experimental uses of bone densitometry.