Osteoporosis is diagnosed in two ways:

1. An Unexplained Fracture
   If other causes of bone abnormalities have been ruled out, individuals 40 years of age and over who have a fracture after a minimal injury (such as a fall from standing height), by definition, have osteoporosis. One of the goals of the Osteoporosis Program at Women’s College Hospital is to identify women and men at high risk for fracture before a fracture occurs.

2. By Measuring Bone Density
   Bone density tests measure a person’s bone mass. The test measures the density of a woman’s bone and compares it to the bone mineral density (BMD) of healthy, young women. The denser the bone, the less likely it will fracture. Conversely, the lower the bone density measure, the greater the risk of a non-traumatic fracture. Some studies have shown that measuring the bone density of women 65 years of age and older can help predict a woman’s risk of fracturing a bone.