BMD interpretation mistakes - case 15

	Feb 2000	June 2001
T-score, fem. neck	-3.0	-3.3
g/cm2, fem. neck	0.625	0.586
T-score, total hip	-2.7	-2.4
g/cm2, total hip	0.675	0.710

This74-year-old woman had been taking alendronate for the last year. The DEXA scans are shown above.

The radiologist's impression: "Osteoporosis femoral neck with a 6% decrease in bone mineral density since 2000. . .

It is not unusual for the first DEXA scan obtained afer the patient has initiated therapy for osteoporosis to show a small increase or decrease."