Are DEXAs inaccurate for smaller people?

[FearFracture]

I'm 4'11", no height loss, and I have seen several ppl post about DEXAs potentially being inaccurate for smaller ppl. Additionally, Dr. Brown (BetterBones.com) and Dr. Lani Simpson (lanisimpson.com/) also seem to think that DEXAs can be skewed for smaller folks.

Has anyone used Dr. Ott's BMAD calculator to "adjust" DEXAs for smaller stature?

courses.washington.edu/bone...

[AnnieW55]

Taken from Webmd.com (a 2010 paper) on Google - other search engines available 😀.

"If you look at the women who have fractures, a lot don't have osteoporosis based on the DEXA [results]," Templeton says. Researchers speculate that in these cases bone architecture may be the problem -- but as yet, there is no realistic way to evaluate it.

Results also aren't as accurate if you are smaller or larger than average, Cosman says. So the test may underestimate your bone density if you are 5 feet tall or shorter, and may overestimate it if you are 5 feet 10 inches or taller.”

As the numbers used for data were based on the average 30yr old it would be surprising if older people and those outside average height +/- would have accurate results.

[FearFracture in reply to AnnieW55]

Thanks. I found the article webmd.com/osteoporosis/feat...

It's infuriating that my doctors don't seem to know what they are doing. Not one of them mentioned that my t-scores could be wrong because of my height.

While I have been researching osteoporosis, I found an article (I don't have the link) in the BJM about a study done questioning osteo-meds effectiveness, and the conclusion of the study was pretty much, the biggest difference between who fractures and who doesn't isn't who does or doesn't have osteoporosis, but who falls. Seriously!

[SpaghettiIsGood in reply to AnnieW55]

Bone architecture, to me, means bone strength a n d bone density. There are other tests, but I don't remember the names.

Maybe the results are based on a curve, like they did in school. According to height and weight. I think it's one size fits all however.

[FearFracture]

SpaghettiIsGood, the results are not based on a curve. A number of osteoporosis experts, including Dr. Brown, Dr. Simpson, and Dr. Ott, seem to be in agreement that DEXA scans can skew BMD for smaller people.

[SpaghettiIsGood in reply to FearFracture]

So happy this info got posted for those who didn't know.