Bone Density Tests

Brockville General Hospital has bone density tests available, which quickly and painlessly assess your bone strength. A Bone Mineral Density (BMD) exam uses a low dose of X-ray to measure the amount of mineral in the bones of your lower back, hip and forearm.

 Your physician will fax a requisition to Diagnostic Imaging (DI) department and our DI staff will provide you with your appointment time.

Location

Our Charles Street main site offers bone density tests.

Preparing for your bone density test

When preparing for your bone density test make sure that you take medications as prescribed by your doctor or physician. You may eat but you shouldn’t take any vitamin or calcium pills, or other mineral supplements on the day of your exam.

Make sure to arrive 15 minutes before your test and check in at the registration desk the day of your appointment.

What to expect during your bone density test

The exam will take about 15 minutes. You will begin by having your height and weight measured. This test involves lying on a table for several minutes while a small X-ray detector scans your spine, hip or forearm. We may ask you to lift your legs onto a support. This straightens your back for the test. We may also ask you to rotate your legs, which provides a larger surface area for hip measurement.