What does a repeat DEXA showing progression from osteopenia to osteoporosis indicate?

• A. Worsening bone mineral density
• B. Improved bone density
• C. No change in density
• D. Inconsistent measurement

Answer: (A)

Tracking bone density over time with a DEXA scan shows how your bone strength is changing. If a repeat scan moves from osteopenia into osteoporosis, that means bone mineral density has declined enough to cross the threshold associated with osteoporosis (often a T-score of -2.5 or worse). In other words, there’s real progression of bone loss, not an improvement or no change, and this usually means a higher risk of fractures. It can reflect ongoing factors like aging, untreated or insufficiently treated bone loss, or reversible contributors, and it may lead clinicians to adjust therapy or investigate underlying causes. Minor variations between scans can occur, but crossing into osteoporosis on a follow-up study indicates a true decline in density.