More bone density testing is needed, not less

Bone mineral density (BMD) testing by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the international standard for the clinical assessment of skeletal health. DXA is used to diagnose osteoporosis, to assess fracture risk, and to monitor changes in BMD over time. These clinical applications are supported by the following: 1. A strong correlation between skeletal mechanical strength and BMD measured by DXA super((1)); 2. A robust relationship between fracture risk and BMD measured by DXA in clinical trials and epidemiological studies super((2)); 3. The primacy of DXA in the 1994 World Health Organization (WHO) classification of skeletal health into normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic categories super((3)); 4. DXA's pivotal role in identifying eligible subjects in all registration trials for medications now approved to treat osteoporosis super((4)); 5. Excellent accuracy and precision of DXA super((5)); and 6. Low patient exposure to ionizing irradiation with DXA. super((6)).