Explaining the Significance of Z- and T-Scores in DEXA Scans

Explaining the Significance of Z- and T-Scores in DEXA Scans

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m a woman of 54 with somewhat limited mobility due to back pain. Perhaps for this reason, my primary care physician ordered a DEXA scan in 2023 and again in 2026. I was alarmed when the recent scan showed osteopenia in five of the six areas that were tested. I thought the 2023 scan was normal, but when I revisited it, I saw that I had osteopenia then as well. But in the 2023 repo...