WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Research: Women can wait between bone scans

January 18, 2012

Roberta Wallach, 79, takes medication to prevent osteoporosis. She also has a bone density test every two years.

"To keep the bones healthy," she said.

Doctors use the test to diagnosis osteoporosis, which causes bones to become brittle and more likely to break with age. Now a new study finds older women with normal bone density results may not need to be retested for years.

"Of the group of patients who had normal bone density at age 67, they are very unlikely to develop osteoporosis over the next 10 or 15 years and they can be assured that they don't need to have repeat bone testing as frequently," said Dr. Stephen Honig, the director of the osteoporosis center at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases.

A bone density test uses X-rays to measure calcium and minerals in the bone. The lower the density, the more likely a bone will fracture over time.

Right now, there are no formal guidelines for how often a woman should be screened, but most insurance companies pay for bone density tests every two years.

"If you have a normal bone density at age 65 you don't need to do a repeat test in two years. Our practice would be closer to five years," Honig said.

Wallach hopes insurance will keep covering regular bone density tests, even if the study shows some women may not need them.

"I don't think preventive medicine is a way to save money," Wallach said.

Because preventing a break or fracture at her age is what's most important.

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease, affecting one out of every five women over 50 in the U.S.