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Understanding your osteoporosis risk is the first step toward a healthier, more active future. If you have concerns about your bone health, start the conversation with your doctor today. When they provide you with a requisition, tell them you choose Limeworth Xray & Ultrasound. We are here to provide the clear answers you and your doctor need. Bone health is crucial to monitor - especially as you get older. Don't wait for a fracture to think about your bones - contact 849xr

Osteoporosis is often thought of as a women’s disease, but about one in five men over 50 will break a bone because of it — and men tend to fare worse after a hip fracture. Despite that, men are far less likely to be screened or treated. Men should talk to their doctor about a bone density scan at 70, or earlier with risk factors like a fracture from a minor fall, long-term steroids, low testosterone, or heavy smoking or drinking. A DEXA scan is quick and painless.

If you saw headlines in 2026 about Ontario “cutting” bone-density testing, here’s the reassuring update: after concerns from doctors, the Ministry of Health issued a clarification on April 29, 2026 that restored the high-risk BMD fee codes retroactive to April 1. In plain terms, if your doctor decides you need a bone density test, OHIP coverage is still there.

When people think about osteoporosis, they focus on bone density — and that matters. But here’s the part that often gets missed: with osteoporosis, most fractures happen because of a fall. That means protecting yourself has two fronts — keeping your bones as strong as you can, and making sure you don’t hit the ground in the first place. The second one is surprisingly within your control.

A bone density scan is one of those tests people aren’t sure applies to them until a doctor brings it up — or until a fracture makes the point the hard way. Since osteoporosis is usually silent, knowing when to get checked is genuinely useful. Here’s who should be thinking about a DEXA scan, and when.

A mammogram is a quick, routine appointment — but a few small preparations can make it more comfortable, more accurate, and less likely to send you back for a repeat. Here’s the simple checklist I give patients, starting with the one rule people are always surprised by.

Hormone therapy (HRT) can make breast tissue a little denser and slightly raises breast-cancer risk the longer it’s used — which makes staying on schedule with your mammograms more important, not less. Menopause itself doesn’t change your eligibility: average-risk women aged 40 to 74 still screen every two years.

In Ontario, routine self-referral screening runs from age 40 to 74. After 74, the program stops automatically inviting you, but screening can continue if you’re in good health and want to — that’s a conversation with your doctor, not an automatic stop. Under 40, routine screening isn’t offered for average-risk women, but high-risk women may start as early as 30, and any new symptom at any age should be checked right away.

A mammogram (a low-dose X-ray) is the foundation of breast screening and the only test that reliably catches tiny calcifications. Breast ultrasound uses sound waves and no radiation, and is best for taking a closer look — especially in dense breasts or at a specific lump. MRI is the most sensitive and is reserved for high-risk screening or problem-solving. Most people just need a mammogram; your doctor decides whether ultrasound or MRI should be added.

One of the hardest parts of any screening test is the wait afterward. You’ve had your mammogram, you feel fine, and now you’re watching the mailbox. Let me walk you through exactly what happens after your Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) mammogram — how long results take, what the letter says, and how to read it without second-guessing every word.

One of the hardest parts of any screening test is the wait afterward. You’ve had your mammogram, you feel fine, and now you’re watching the mailbox. Let me walk you through exactly what happens after your Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) mammogram — how long results take, what the letter says, and how to read it without second-guessing every word.

So you’ve had your bone density scan, the results are back, and now you’re staring at a page full of minus signs and words like "osteopenia" and "FRAX." If your first reaction is a little knot of worry, you’re in good company — it’s one of the most common things patients call us about.

I’ve lost count of how many women have told me they put off a mammogram for years because of something they’d heard — that it’s unbearably painful, that the radiation isn’t safe, or that they feel fine so why bother. Those worries are completely understandable, but most of them just aren’t true. So let me walk through the ones I hear most, and what’s actually the case.

If breast cancer runs in your family, chances are you’ve wondered whether you should be starting screening earlier — or getting checked more often — than everyone else. For some women, the answer really is yes, and Ontario has a dedicated High Risk Ontario Breast Screening Program built for exactly that. Here’s how to tell if it applies to you.

If you have just been asked to come back after your mammogram, and your heart is pounding as you read this — please, take a breath. That fear is real, it is normal, and you are not overreacting. Almost everyone who gets a callback feels exactly what you are feeling right now.

"Mammogram" is a single word, but it actually covers two pretty different appointments. Figuring out whether you need a screening mammogram or a diagnostic one means you book the right test the first time — and get the right care faster. Here’s how I explain the difference to patients.

If your last mammogram letter mentioned that you have dense breasts and you weren’t quite sure what to make of it, you’re not alone. It’s one of the things patients ask us about most, usually with a bit of worry in their voice.

The number-one reason women put off a mammogram is fear that it will hurt. The honest answer: for most If you have concerns about your bone health, start the conversation with your doctor today. When they provide you with a requisition, tell them you choose Limeworth Xray & Ultrasound. We are here to provide the clear answers you and your doctor need. Bone health is crucial to monitor - especially as you get older. Don't wait for a fracture to think about your bones - conta

Wondering why your doctor recommended an ultrasound? Discover how it works, its health benefits, and where to get fast, same-day ultrasound in Hamilton.

Bone Mineral Density (BMD) testing, also known as a DEXA scan, helps detect early bone loss and prevent fractures. Limeworth X-Ray & Ultrasound in Hamilton offers OHIP-covered BMD tests six days a week with fast, accurate results. Conveniently located near Lime Ridge Mall, our clinic is wheelchair accessible and committed to top-notch patient care. Book your bone density test today and take charge of your bone health.