Bone Mineral Density Testing Can Now Be Performed In-House By Primary Care Physicians

Primary care physicians offer front-line care to their patients, and as part of that care regularly perform routine examinations and tests. One of the tests that up until recently required the patient to go to the hospital imaging center is for bone mineral density, with a common test being the Central DEXA, or dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, test. Now there is an easier way, and that is offered by Alara, Incorporated with their new MetriScan bone densitometer machine. Available through Dicom Solutions, the MetriScan makes it possible to perform a quick bone density test right in your medical office.

This bone density machine is essentially a scanner. A patient lays a hand on the screen, and the machine scans the hand. After this, the bone densitometer proceeds to calculate the patient’s T and Z scores for you, after which it will print out the test results. Ordinarily, you would expect that this type of test would take a great deal of time to perform, but the MetriScan delivers these remarkable results in as little as one minute, with only an additional minute needed to print the test results.

The speed and efficient operation of this bone density equipment makes it a top choice for routine health examinations when you want to keep tabs on the bone density of at-risk patients. It is also much easier for the patients, who no longer have to schedule testing at the hospital. The equipment is safe for use, because it utilizes a very low radiation dose of less than a fraction of what is used in a dental x-ray. Patients need no lengthy preparation for the test, unlike other hospital tests that require the use of messy gels.

Another benefit inherent in the MetriScan is its compact size. Measuring in at sixteen inches by sixteen inches, this remarkable machine will easily fit on a desktop for your convenience.

The bone densitometer is also easy to use. All that is required to bring this testing to your patients is a short in-office tutorial, and you are ready to go. Basic patient data is also easy to input, and the testing itself is completely painless for the patient as well. The precision of the machine, which offers a lower total clinical precision error than ultrasound systems, is ensured by its automatic calibration check.

The convenient, easy-to-use MetriScan is available from Dicom Solutions, who can provide you with more information.