If you have sweatpants wear those. No metal, ie zippers.

Yes-- I have had several ( I go every other year)........and it's one of the more pleasant tests. You lay there, comfy, and they put a pillow or bolster sometimes under a knee or so and that's it. If you have to have a scan or test, this is the good one!

Just wear clothes with no metal. I just had one and they basically scan your hip area. I thought my bra had metal,hooks and asked if imshould remove it and the tech said no. Its easypeasy. Hardest part is staying awake..

Yes to no metal...no zippers, no rivets, no metal buttons, no snaps. If you have yoga pants and a t shirt that'd be best. The hooks in your bra are ok, but if you want to do without, that's ok too.

It's a very easy scan and really doesn't require any other prep. You just lay there and let the machine do the work.

jasdip, recalling back to your concern about knee pain and function, I'm not sure the images of a bone density scan will assess or can/will be read in a way to diagnose possible causes of your complaint. Please try to move it along past your primary care doctor if so.

Elmer, this is just a standard procedure once we're 61. I've never had one and the doc felt I should start. She requested it when I saw her about my knee.

What everyone has said, Jasdip. Comfortable loose clothing without zippers or snaps. But it's your choice. When I was having them at an imaging place in Seattle, I'd want to be in something other than sweatpants for the rest of my day - trying to make it count since I'd driven to the city ;) I had the opportunity to change into a gown, there were dressing rooms where I could switch out of my go-out-to-lunch clothing.

With Covid, I've had the last two locally. And went braless, wore sweatpants, a tee. No jewelry. I was in and out in just a few minutes. I thought maybe they'd done a short-cut job. I was used to a dimmed room, tech making lots of entries into a computer program, several minutes going by. This took maybe one third the time.

It was fine. My endocrinologist was satisfied with the readings they'd sent her. And I had been 10 minutes from home instead of a 4-5 hour drive round trip.

I had a baseline scan done much younger than 61, so my doctor would have something on record for comparison later. But I'd had a too fast thyroid early on which can lead to density loss and my Endo was getting an early start on a potential problem

I had one last month. Had to remove my underwire bra.

Only if you are really short and even then it would depend on the tech do you need to remove your bra. The scanning machine can be set at different distances but the ones I have had only scanned from just below my ribcage to the bottom of my butt. I remember one where I was asked to splay my legs outward similar to a frog position but only once.

My first one was at 45 when my insurance started paying for them as a routine part of my annual checkup. Now I think it is once every two years unless it discovers problems and covered by insurance.

I wear yoga pants and a loose tee shirt to all my doctor appointments and /or tests. It's just easier, comfortable, and I feel more presentable than I would in sweats or joggers, which I only wear at home. Jeans are my daily wear for everything else.

Only if you are really short and even then it would depend on the tech do you need to remove your bra.

I'm 5.7. It stated in pre-procedure info that you would have to remove an underwire bra.

Just had one again & I wore knit pants & tank with dressier sweatshirt over & no bra....It's an easy test. Now, if my results were normal, but they're not. :(

I went and looked at my instructions and it did state you could wear a bra but Elmer's comment had me thinking. When I looked for bone scan instructions one of the first articles gave the differences in bone scans. It also mentioned things in the bone density scan that have never been done on me. Mine have only been in the pelvic area but upper arms and wrists are mentioned as places to be checked for a bone density scan.

I do wonder if the doctor wanted Jesdip to have an actual bone scan of the knee but did not provide the correct type of scan information. It requires a contrast so unlikely the doctor would have a patient make the appointment.

maifleur03 I believe the doctor just wants a basic bone density scan to be done so they will know if she has the bone density over all to support a new knee should it become necessary. It's step one. Some people with osteoporosis (thinning bones) aren't good candidates for joint replacement surgery.. Those with osteoarthritis (wear and tear of bone and cartilage) are good candidates as long as they are fit enough to support th new jont and that includes having decent bone density.

I just had another bone density scan (second one) and was told NOT to take any calcium (either in the form of Tums, vitamin supplements, etc) for 24 hours before the scan. Mind you I have rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis so these may account for not taking any form of calcium, but you might want to check with your physician.

Yes, I'm going March 1 and was told not to take any calcium supplements the day before the test. I don't have either of those conditions, but check back with them.

Justlinda, I was told that today when I booked. I take Glucosamine with Chondroitin, Vit D turmeric capsule and calcium pills. But I wasn't taking any of it with my bronch meds. I didn't want to put too much in my body. I'll start back up again after the scan.

I have had scans and I have osteoporosis and osteopenia. I forget where each is but I take nothing except calcium and Vitamin D pills. These conditions run in both sides of my family and we are all small-boned. Aunts on both sides have had fractures, but my mother never did and she lived till 92 and took no supplements. I have wrists the size of a toddler and I tested the right one to the max in October when I did a face plant on the AT. I tripped over my pole and landed on the left knee and right arm especially hitting the wrist and elbow. I had a knot on my elbow the size of an egg and a nasty cut but nothing but bruising and it's still faintly there. I hike the trail every day for 3.5 miles and use one pole on my right so that wrist is pretty strong, I guess. I too don't want a snapped femur or necrosis of the jaw.

I've had scans every two years for the last 20 years. The test is no big deal. No metal at all, including the bra. No calcium or vitamins the day of. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2020, and I've had the Prolia shots since then. They are also no big deal, and my last scan showed an improvement in my hip and spine, as well as a stable number for my wrist. My digestive system cannot handle the calcium and D pills, so I try to cram as much calcium food down the hatch as possible. I was worried about the jaw thing, but my dentist said that he has seen it only once. Good luck and don't fret.

Yes, I forgot about the instruction to not take calcium the day of the test.

I too have osteopenia. In my early 50's I was taking fosamax and did so for more years than is generally thought advisable now. I stopped taking it about 10 years ago and just do the caltrate ( OTC) . I go for scans every 2 years, because there has been no change.

I only get my hip area scanned. It's never been suggested to do the wrist. I think I will ask about that when I go next ( in 2 years time)..

I wear an underwire, and I did ask and was told it was fine.

Had my first scan at 66. My new doctor was surprised that I'd never had one before. It showed osteopenia, almost osteoporosis, in the neck and one hip. She prescribed Raloxifene. The second day I was on it, I felt profoundly depressed for no reason, and that evening I had what I think was a hot flash, where I felt like I was burning up but had no fever. Turns out the drug works by messing with your estrogen.

I went off it immediately. Instead, I switched from my daily unsupported headstand to a handstand against the wall. I began taking a calcium and magnesium supplement. I don't like gym type exercise, so I started seeking out opportunities for more weightbearing. I now buy almost all of my groceries in other neighborhoods and carry them walking, not taking transportation. Need something carried? Let me help! I guess I'll find out at my next bone scan if this stopped the deterioration. For me, the scan part was a non-event. It's the results that were a hassle.

They also told me not to take any calcium supplements prior to the scan. I think the reason is you can get inaccurate test results if the supplements aren’t completely dissolved.

It's an easy test, that's for sure! As soon as you get comfortable, it's over!

Like Annie said, it's what you want to DO about it if it shows bone loss. I've had kidney stones, so don't want extra calcium, and the injections...well, I feel the same way Annie does about those.

Sometimes, when there's Medicare reimbursement, a whole lot of 'tests' start being done. Remember when every woman just had to have regular mammograms and painful biopsies, regardless of likely problems?

I just got back. Unlike you, I had to remove my clothes and put on a gown.

I didn't think it was completely relaxing, but that's me. My knees were bent over a prop of some sort, and the machine just niggled along.

Another nurse that was abrupt. She asked what meds I was on, so I told her about my bronch puffers. She interrupted me and said those are anti-biotics. Ok then. She rhymed off what vitamins/supplements I was taking. I mentioned glucosomine, but of course that didn't interest her. I was just covering my bases ;-)

Unlikely the person giving the test was a nurse although it can happen. Here they are techitians. I had to fill out paperwork for my last one stating everything I take and hopefully you did too. Some of those bronch puffers are steroids and the doctor who actually reads and prepares the report to send to your doctor needed that information. Something to mention to your doctor, although it may go no further, that the tech thought the puffer was an antibiotic. Who knows what they do not enter on the chart that may be of importance. I use Advair that does have at type of steroid.