Do X-rays play a role in determining osteoporosis?

Do X-rays play a role in determining osteoporosis?

Frederick Singer (Director of the Endocrine/Bone Disease Program, John Wayne Cancer Institute ) gives expert video advice on: If my mother had a history of osteoporosis why would I get it too?; Can a doctor tell if I have osteoporosis just by looking at me? and more...

With osteoporosis risk factors, X-rays in the past were the one way to have an impression that there osteoporosis may exist, but X-rays really mainly show fractures. So, we need to have a bone density test because an X-ray is not sensitive enough to pick up early forms of osteoporosis, and it's actually not a measurement, it's just somebody looking at a picture and having an impression. Bone density testing actually gives you a number and something that can be decided is or isn't osteoporosis.