Bone Density & Testing
The only reliable way to diagnose osteoporosis is with a bone density test — specifically a DXA scan. This section explains everything you need to know about getting tested, understanding your results, and assessing your fracture risk.
What Is a DXA Scan?
How the scan works, how long it takes, what it does and does not show, and how to prepare.
Read moreUnderstanding Your Results
What your T-score and Z-score mean, how bone density changes with age, and what to do next.
Read moreHow to Get Tested in Ireland
What a DXA scan costs in Ireland, medical card and insurance cover, self-referral, and where to go by county.
Read moreFRAX Fracture Risk Tool
How this WHO tool calculates your 10-year fracture probability and how to use it.
Read moreNot sure if you should be tested? Check our Risk Factors page to see which factors might make a DXA scan worthwhile for you, then speak to your doctor.
Last reviewed: February 2026 — FragilityFracture.ie Editorial Team