What sites of the skeleton are routinely assessed on a DXA scan?
The lumbar spine (L1-L4 or L2-L4) and the proximal femur (femoral neck, trochanteric region, and Ward’s triangle) are assessed on a routine DXA scan. (Ward’s triangle is the triangular radiolucent area seen on radiography between the primary tensile, primary compressive, and secondary compressive trabeculae in the femoral neck.) If the patient has the diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism, then the forearm is used instead.
