Bone mass assessment has become an essential tool for assessing osteoporosis. Ideally, measurements could be used to diagnose osteoporosis, measure risk of future fracture and assess response to therapeutic intervention. This article considers how well quantitative ultrasound matches up to these requirements in comparison with spine and hip bone density measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). We conclude that diagnosing osteoporosis should be by DXA, preferably at the hip; risk assessment can be done by both techniques but monitoring therapy is probably best achieved by axial DXA.
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