New machine at the hospital

To help prevent

osteoporosis

By CHRIS VETTER

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A new machine at New Ulm Medical Center can alert patients to the onset of osteoporosis.

The hospital recently purchased a Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) machine, which measures bone density and mineral content in the bone, according to a hospital pamphlet.

The $25,000 machine was funded by the New Ulm Medical Center Auxiliary, a volunteer organization at the hospital. The auxiliary operates the coffee shop and gift shop, along with numerous fund-raisers throughout the year.

Marcus Hopp and Wes Lutz, athletic trainers at the hospital, completed four days of training to operate the DXA machine, which arrived late last year.

"We've been doing it on patients for about three weeks," Hopp said.

Generally, as people age -- especially women -- they lose bone mass. Bones become weaker and are more susceptible to fracture. About 25 million Americans suffer from osteroporosis, of which 80 percent are women, the hospital pamphlet states.

The new machine will measure the loss of bone density and determine how serious are any problems.

"We take a picture of the hip and the lower spine," Hopp said, as he points to the sliding X-ray component that moves above a patient's body. "These are the two most likely places for osteoporosis to occur."

The invisible light ray has the thickness of a pencil. The level of radiation is minimal, so a patient does not have to wear a lead vest or remove any clothing for the test. Hopp recommends that patients wear loose clothes, like sweatpants, and avoid wearing clothes with metal buttons or zippers.

Evie Hacker, president of the New Ulm Medical Center Auxiliary, was pleased with the demonstration of the DXA machine.

"It's getting used," Hacker said. "I hear a lot of women say they have been in for a scan."

Her group raised about $35,000 last year along with 3,500 hours of donated time. The group has purchased several equipment items for the hospital, ranging from a new radio system for the emergency room to a new defribillator for the ambulance.

Hopp performs the tests, but a doctor and radiologist look at the results then tell the patients what they have learned. A person cannot get a bone density exam without a doctor's referral.

A computer screen near the DXS machine shows instantaneous results, creating a detailed picture of the bones. The entire test is completed in about 15 minutes.

"It's such an easy test to do," Hopp said. "It's something we can follow through their lifetime."

The hospital did not previously own a DXS machine. In the past, a mobile unit would come from Fargo three times a month, and patients would have to wait their turn on those rare visits, Hopp said.

"Now we can do it all day, every day," he said.

Women are more likely to suffer from osteroporosis because they lose about 30 percent of bone mass within three years of the onset of menopause.

Hopp and Lutz recommend that a woman have a test done when they reach menopause, then regular checkups after that point. If bone loss is significant, doctors could prescribe calcium suppliments or other alternatives, Hopp said.

Lutz likes the easy access to the machine. He believes patients will want to learn about their bone mass as early as possible.