Which method measures the bone mineral content and bone mineral density of specific sites in the body?

• A. Bone densitometry
• B. Bone mineral content (BMC)
• C. Bone mineral density (BMD)
• D. Osteoblasts

Answer: (A)

Bone densitometry is the method used to measure bone mineral content and bone mineral density at specific sites. Techniques like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) estimate how much mineral is present in a defined region (BMC) and how dense that mineral is (BMD) by measuring how X-rays are absorbed as they pass through bone. This site-specific measurement is why densitometry is the standard approach for assessing bone health in areas such as the spine and hip and for evaluating osteoporosis risk. Remember that BMC and BMD are the results or metrics obtained from the scan, while osteoblasts are the bone-forming cells, not a measurement method.