根據一項最新的研究：通過對傳統的胸部X線檢查讀片可以幫助診斷老年人的骨質疏松，但對本病的早期診斷沒有幫助。

調查人員說：他們是通過對近千位椎骨骨折患者的胸部X線做評估后才得出這個結論的。椎骨骨折是與骨質疏松最相關的典型骨折，但是其中的一個臨床醫生大約只發現了近三分之一。

來自阿爾伯達醫院大學（埃德蒙頓，加拿大）的定期研究中最顯著的發現是存在數目巨大的對老年椎骨骨折患者診斷和處理的不足。該研究發表于2005年4月25日的內科學文獻集月刊。

在2001年，對年齡大于60歲、曾因任何情況在急診室就診并接受過胸部X線檢查的500名隨機患者，研究者們引入了群組研究調查。據研究員們說：雖然六分之一的老年患者們的胸部X線存在“重要的臨床椎骨骨折”，但根據病史，這些患者中只有近60%的人被明確診斷，并且這部分患者中只有25%的人被診斷出患有骨質疏松和接受治療。

統計數據指出，早期的研究證明有25%的年齡在50－60歲之間的人存在一處或多處與骨質疏松相關的椎骨骨折?？茖W家指出：這些骨折大約只有近30%被內科醫生發現，而剩余70%的骨折則繼續使人們的生活質量下降，導致疾病以及增加其它骨折的危險。
 
Osteoporosis Underdiagnosed, Undertreated in Elderly
 
A closer look at the conventional chest x-ray could help detect osteoporosis in older adults not earlier diagnosed with the disease, according to a new study.

Investigators said they reached this conclusion after assessing hundreds of chest x-rays for fractures of the vertebrae, the most typical bone fracture linked with osteoporosis but one that clinicians observed in only approximately one-third of patients.

“The most noteworthy finding in our study is the magnitude of the nderdiagnosis and undertreatment of osteoporosis in elderly patients with a vertebral fracture” stated researchers from the University of Alberta Hospital (Edmonton, CA) in at report in the April 25, 2005, issue of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

In 2001, the researchers conducted a cohort study with a random sample of 500 patients older than 60 years old who had gone to the emergency room and underwent chest radiography for any indication. Even though one is six older adults who had chest-x-rays had “clinically important vertebral fractures,” only approximately 60% of these breaks were observed in the patient’s records and only 25% of those with fractures were detected or treated for osteoporosis, according

to the researchers.

The scientists noted that earlier studies demonstrated as many as 25% of individuals aged 50-60

have one or more osteoporosis-related vertebral fractures. Only approximately 30% of those

fractures are reported to a physician, whereas the other 70% go on to cause decreased quality of

life, illness, and increase risk of more fractures, the scientist reported.