The bone mineral density that is more than 2.5 standard deviations below the young adult mean is classified as which condition?

The bone mineral density that is more than 2.5 standard deviations below the young adult mean is classified as which condition?

• A. Sarcopenia
• B. Osteopenia
• C. Osteoporosis
• D. Scoliosis

Answer: (C)

Bone mineral density classifications use a T-score, which compares a person’s density to the mean of a healthy young adult. When the BMD is more than 2.5 standard deviations below that young adult mean, it meets the diagnostic threshold for osteoporosis. Osteopenia falls between about -1.0 and -2.5, not beyond -2.5. Sarcopenia is loss of muscle mass and strength, while scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. So the described threshold corresponds to osteoporosis. If a fragility fracture is also present, it’s often called severe osteoporosis.

Bone mineral density classifications use a T-score, which compares a person’s density to the mean of a healthy young adult. When the BMD is more than 2.5 standard deviations below that young adult mean, it meets the diagnostic threshold for osteoporosis. Osteopenia falls between about -1.0 and -2.5, not beyond -2.5. Sarcopenia is loss of muscle mass and strength, while scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. So the described threshold corresponds to osteoporosis. If a fragility fracture is also present, it’s often called severe osteoporosis.