The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) has expressed concern over the potential misuse of bone mineral density (BMD) testing. In an editorial published in the March/April 2002 issue of Menopause Management, NAMS executive director Dr. Wulf Utian said that while BMD is recognized as an effective tool for diagnosis and treatment follow-up of postmenopausal osteoporosis, there is confusion regarding the utilization of BMD testing.
Utian said that there is potential for overuse as firms advertise, publicize, and charge for the testing. In addition, there is potential for over-reliance on a single peripheral BMD measurement to determine a woman's risk of osteoporotic bone fracture, he said.
Utian also expressed concern over the variability of BMD results, even when the same instrument is used. Providers need to have a clear understanding of the strengths and limitations of the technology, as well as the quality-control measures and precision levels of the equipment, he wrote.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersMarch 19, 2002
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