DEXA Scan | Rheumatologists & Rheumatology located in Glendale and Milwaukee, WI

Get Clear Answers About Your Bone Health

At the Rheumatic Disease Center, we provide safe, accurate, and non-invasive DEXA scans to help you assess your bone density and body composition.

What is a DEXA Scan?

A DEXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) scan is the gold standard for measuring:

Bone mineral density (BMD)
Risk of osteoporosis or fractures
Body fat percentage & lean mass distribution

It’s quick (usually under 20 minutes), painless, and provides detailed insights into your health.

What to Expect:

No preparation needed – wear comfortable clothes.
Scan takes 10–20 minutes.
Results reviewed by your Rheumatologist.

What DEXA Scans Can Reveal:

Early signs of osteopenia or osteoporosis
Whether bone-protective treatment is needed
How your bone health is responding to medications
Insights for fracture risk reduction and long-term management

Proactive Care = Better Outcomes

DEXA scans allow rheumatologists to:

Detect silent bone loss before it leads to fractures
Monitor bone changes over time
Guide treatment choices (e.g., calcium/vitamin D, bisphosphonates)

DEXA scans are especially important for patients with rheumatologic diseases because of many of these conditions and the medications used to treat them can lead to bone loss and increased fracture risk.

Here’s a detailed explanation you can include on your website or patient education material:

Why DEXA Scans Matter for Rheumatologic Conditions

If you have a rheumatologic disease such as:

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Psoriatic Arthritis
Vasculitis or Connective Tissue Diseases

you may be at higher risk for developing osteoporosis or experiencing low bone mass.

Why?

Chronic inflammation interferes with bone remodeling and repair.
Steroid medications (like prednisone), commonly used to manage rheumatologic diseases, accelerate bone loss.
Reduced physical activity, often due to pain or joint damage, also contributes to decreased bone density.
Some disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) may affect bone health over time.

Recommendation:

Patients with rheumatologic disease should have a baseline DEXA scan, followed by repeat scans every 1–2 years, depending on age, medication use, and other risk factors.