Wrong Ethnicity in Analysis of a DXA Scan

 

The is the Hologic lumbar spine DXA scan from a Black female. The scan was initially incorrectly analyzed as a White female initially. The corrected analysis is on the left. Per the ISCD Consensus Conference Guidelines, the T-score is compared to a White female for both genders and all ethnicities. The Z-score is compared to a database with the patient’s ethnicity.

Case Description:

This lumbar spine scan is from a Black female, however, it was first analyzed as a White female. The analysis as a White female is on the left and the correct data is on the right. It is the ISCD consensus that the T-score should be compared to a White female. The Z-score should be compared to the same ethnicity (i.e. a Black female).
Therefore, the reanalysis would show a difference in the Z-score.

Credit:

Sarah L. Morgan, MD, RD, CCD
The University of Alabama at Birmingham

References:

• https://www.iscd.org/official-positions/2019-iscd-official-positions-adult/