Bone Densitometry Training For Health Professionals

Main Category: Bones / Orthopaedics
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 12 Jan 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Health professionals can improve their skills in measuring bone strength and density by attending the National Training Scheme in Bone Densitometry in Birmingham this March.

The specialist scheme is run every 18 months by the National Osteoporosis Society and is the only one of its kind in the UK. A limited number of places are still available on the course.

Optional certification in bone densitometry is offered to professionals who attend the lecture course and meet the other eligibility criteria, which include attending the Radiation Protection Training or the professional equivalent.

Lecture course on Osteoporosis and Bone Densitometry
Birmingham, 16 - 17 March 2009

This lecture course aims to promote a consistently high standard in bone densitometry measurements across the UK. The one and a half day course will cover epidemiology; diagnosis, treatment and prevention of osteoporosis; running a bone densitometry service and the study of DXA and pDXA. The course is necessary to gain certification of Competence for Bone Densitometry.

This course is open to all health professionals with an interest in osteoporosis and bone densitometry, for example, physicians, nurses, radiographers, technologists or clinical scientists.

Radiation Protection Training
Birmingham, 17 March 2009

This half-day theoretical course covers the hazards of radiation; statutory requirements governing its use; and principles of radiation protection. The course is aimed at operators and practitioners.

For further information on the scheme, email courses@nos.org.uk or see the Health Professional Training section on the National Osteoporosis Society's website at www.nos.org.uk

The closing date for course registration is 25 February 2009.

For more information about osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Society, visit http://www.nos.org.uk or call the National Osteoporosis Society Helpline on 01761 471771.

Notes

The National Osteoporosis Society is the only UK wide charity dedicated to improving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

1. In the UK, one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 will break a bone mainly because of osteoporosis.

2. Three million people are at risk of osteoporosis in the UK.

3. Osteoporosis is the fragile bone disease. The bones in our skeleton are made of a thick outer shell and a strong inner mesh filled with collagen (protein), calcium salts and other minerals. The inside looks like honeycomb, with blood vessels and bone marrow in the spaces between bone. Osteoporosis occurs when the holes between bone become bigger, making it fragile and liable to break easily.

4. Osteoporosis usually affects the whole skeleton but it commonly causes breaks (fractures) to bones in the wrist, spine and hip.

5. The risk of developing osteoporosis can be reduced by taking plenty of weight bearing exercise and eating a healthy, balanced calcium rich diet throughout life.

The National Osteoporosis Society