The use of bone densitometry in clinical practice

Bone densitometry is an established method for the assessment of osteoporosis as, according to the definition of osteoporosis, an accurate determination of the level of bone mass is central to the diagnostic assessment of osteoporosis. The diversity of different bone densitometry techniques, however, needs to be acknowledged. The World Health Organization criteria of osteoporosis should not be used for peripheral measurements, and their application to subject groups other than white women is still controversial. A large variety of bone densitometry and quantitative ultrasound techniques can be used for fracture risk assessment. Their results should be interpreted in the context of other clinical examinations and can then be used in making treatment decisions. For monitoring purposes, the ratio of response rate and long-term precision error determines longitudinal sensitivity. For all of these applications, careful quality assurance procedures need to be implemented. If applied in a responsible fashion, bone densitometry represents a powerful approach that is indispensable for the assessment of osteoporosis.