Researchers develop new test for osteoporosis

Early detection of osteoporosis plays a key role in preventing the condition. However, current testing methods are not always as effective as doctors would like, which makes it difficult for physicians to know which patients would benefit from a prescription to buy Fosamax to prevent bone loss.

A team of researchers from Arizona State University and NASA may have come up with a solution to this problem that borrows technology from geology. The new technique could diagnose bone density loss more accurately and less invasively than current X-ray procedures.

The new test involves measuring levels of certain calcium isotopes in a patient's urine. The researchers found that this accurately depicts mineral loss without exposing patients to potentially harmful radiation.

Most people who develop osteoporosis do not receive a diagnosis until they experience a fracture. A prescription to buy Fosamax could prevent bone mineral density loss, but patients often do not have their condition diagnosed in time. The new findings could make early diagnoses a more common occurrence and help many people avoid painful and potentially life-threatening fractures.