T-Score is a standardized number that you may see on your bone density scan results or reports. Your bone mineral density (BMD) at each skeletal site of measurement is compared to a reference database of younger individual at peak bone mass (average age 30) and same sex. This calculated score is used for diagnosis of men age 50 and older and postmenopausal women.
The categories for diagnosis based on the World Health Organization criteria are:
- normal (T-score -1.0 and above)
- low bone mass, referred to as osteopenia (T-score between -1.0 and -2.5)
- osteoporosis (T-score -2.5 and below)
- severe osteoporosis (T-score -2.5 and below with history of a fracture)