Welcome to ISCD 2012

What determines “osteoporosis”?  Is it DXA and BMD?  Perhaps VFA and the lateral spine?  What is the importance of Kyphosis?  When is a collapsed vertebra a fracture?  These are all questions for ISCD 2012.

The International Society for Clinical Densitometry meets this week at the 2012 annual meeting.  As a society, we began by studying DXA as a tool to identify individuals at increased Risk of Fracture.  We now realize that DXA and BMD are only part of the analysis.  FRAX has been a major step forward.  We will be sharing our observations and advancing our collective knowledge.

I am presenting a poster about communicating with patients.  Here are other issues I will be discussing.  The links lead to full posts on each topic.

Many more patients have morphometric Vertebral Compression Fractures than I find clinically.  Vertebral fractures increase Future Fracture Risk.  I obtain lateral spine on all new patients.  VFA Trumps DXA in finding clinical osteoporosis.

Fractures and Kyphosis are both now avoidable.  See It’s All About Fractures and Kyphosis.

Natural Degenerative Kyphosis of Age no longer seems a useful concept.  Slow crumbling of the spine is just as debilitating as sudden crunches.  We should recognize crumbling as osteoporosis and prevent it.

I look forward to an interesting meeting.

Jay Ginther, MD, CCD

Categorised in: Evaluation and Screening, Healthcare Professionals, Osteoporosis