DEXA Pharmacology & Osteoporosis Treatment Monitoring Flashcards
6 cards from real DEXA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 DEXA Pharmacology & Osteoporosis Treatment Monitoring flashcards as text
Which bone turnover marker (BTM) reflects bone resorption activity and is commonly monitored during antiresorptive therapy?
Answer: Serum C-telopeptide (CTX)
CTX is a resorption marker (released during collagen breakdown by osteoclasts) and decreases rapidly after starting antiresorptive therapy.
What does a reduction in CTX levels within 3 months of starting antiresorptive therapy indicate?
Answer: The patient is responding to therapy and osteoclast activity is being suppressed
A significant early drop in CTX confirms that osteoclast-mediated bone resorption is being effectively suppressed by the antiresorptive medication.
Which condition requires DEXA monitoring and is caused by elevated endogenous cortisol due to a pituitary or adrenal tumor?
Answer: Cushing's syndrome
Cushing's syndrome causes endogenous glucocorticoid excess, leading to secondary osteoporosis that requires BMD monitoring via DEXA.
In male osteoporosis, which hormone deficiency is a critical secondary cause that should be assessed before starting treatment?
Answer: Testosterone deficiency (hypogonadism)
Hypogonadism is the most important secondary cause of male osteoporosis and must be evaluated before initiating pharmacotherapy.
A DEXA scan is ordered to monitor a patient receiving aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy for breast cancer. Why is this necessary?
Answer: AIs suppress estrogen production, causing significant bone loss that requires monitoring and possible bisphosphonate co-therapy
Aromatase inhibitors dramatically reduce estrogen in postmenopausal women, causing accelerated bone loss and requiring DEXA monitoring with possible prophylactic bisphosphonate use.
According to ISCD, when is a vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) particularly indicated alongside a DEXA scan?
Answer: When a vertebral fracture is suspected but spine radiographs are unavailable or not performed
ISCD recommends VFA when vertebral fractures are suspected clinically (height loss, back pain, history of fragility fracture) and standard radiographs are not available.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy