Dexa report

[Jeaniem130]

Am I missing something? I see no mention of my L5 score on my dexa scan.

[Met00]

They scan L1, L2, L3 and L4, plus femur and/or neck of femur. L5 isn't scanned.

[Jeaniem130 in reply to Met00]

I wonder why L5 is not scanned. I could find nothing when I searched online.

[Mark_ABH in reply to Jeaniem130]

It might be because vertebral fractures are most likely to occur around the thoracolumbar junction (where the T's turn into the L's), so you get the most information by looking at the first few lumbar vertebrae.

[Jeaniem130]

Thank you. I see a spine specialist next week. Dexa said bone loss L1-4 but xray showed disc narrowing and a one sided crack on L5. Just trying to make sense of it all in my mind.

[Met00 in reply to Jeaniem130]

I wonder if the position/angle of L5 makes it harder to scan accurately?

[Mark_ABH in reply to Jeaniem130]

The vertebrae showing bone loss aren't necessarily the ones that will fracture. It's all about mechanics and engineering. If the load was shifted from the weakened vertebrae to L5, that could have been too much for L5 to handle, hence the fracture. The spine specialist might be able to explain in those terms.

[Jeaniem130]

I saw the spine dr, he ordered a Mri. Report shows annular tear disc uncovering/bulging on l5 s1 with grade 2 vertebra slippage and moderate bilateral neurofaminal stenoses. I am scheduled for a spinal steroid injection. He felt that starting an osteoporosis drug was a good idea but I am still hesitant!