A review of bone mineral density scans referred by a community-based menopause clinic in 1997

Osteoporosis is a growing public health issue for the UK's ageing populatio n. Many older women want know if they are at risk of osteoporosis and if pr eventive treatment, particularly in the form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), would be advisable. This results in many women being referred for b one mineral density (BMD) scanning, whether or not they have recognised ris k factors for osteoporosis. We present the results of a review of 228 referrals for BMD scan from a com munity-based menopause clinic. The results are categorised by the indicatio ns for the scan. The implications for the future of BMD investigations are considered in the light of ongoing discussion about population screening.