Diagnostics
Laboratory investigations for bone health
Your DXA report shows low bone density, and now blood tests are also planned. This may seem surprising at first: if the problem is in the bone, what more can a blood test explain?
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Understanding
A closer look
In specialist bone care, laboratory tests can make an important contribution to assessing other conditions and metabolic disorders. They can also be important in preparing treatment safely.
What laboratory testing can contribute
Reduced bone strength may be related to a range of factors. Age and hormonal changes are only part of the picture. Conditions or medicines can also affect bone metabolism. We therefore do not look at abnormal bone density in isolation.
Appropriate laboratory tests can provide clues to these connections. A single laboratory result rarely gives a complete explanation on its own. It is assessed alongside your medical history, examination, bone density scan and, where relevant, further findings.
Which questions the selected laboratory tests answer
Where indicated, initial laboratory tests form part of the basic specialist bone assessment. Additional tests are selected to answer further specific questions. For example, calcium and phosphate can provide information about mineral balance. Kidney function is important, among other things, when selecting and safely using certain medicines.
These are examples, not a package of tests to order yourself. We check what has already been investigated in your situation and what information is still missing. Additional measurements are useful when they answer a medical question and can influence the next steps.
Further information
How your medical history guides the choice of tests
Please tell us about known conditions, previous abnormal laboratory results and all medicines you take regularly. This includes nutritional supplements. Please bring your current medication plan in full if possible, including its printed 2D barcode if there is one. This helps us record the medicines and doses listed. A medication list without a code is also helpful.
If you already receive osteoporosis medicines, note the preparation and when you last took it or received it by injection or infusion. Earlier laboratory reports with dates and reference ranges help us check which results can still be used and whether a new test is needed. You do not need to interpret the results medically yourself beforehand.
What an abnormal result means
A laboratory report often includes a reference range. A result outside it is a reason for assessment, but not automatically a diagnosis. Factors that matter include the degree of change, other results, your symptoms and the course so far.
Sometimes a repeat test is useful. In other cases, results suggest a condition needing further investigation or a change to the treatment plan. We explain what the specific finding means for you. If another specialist's assessment is needed, we discuss the next steps.
Laboratory tests and osteoporosis medicines
Before or during specific osteoporosis treatment, certain laboratory results may be important for safe use. The results and checks required depend on the medicine and your health circumstances.
If a test is missing or there is a new finding before a planned injection or infusion, please contact us before the treatment appointment. We can then clarify what is needed for the next dose. Do not postpone or stop treatment on your own; agree the next steps with the practice providing your care.
How to keep your reports together
Where possible, keep relevant laboratory reports together with your DXA reports and medication plan. For tests carried out elsewhere, note who requested the report and whether it has already been discussed with a doctor. This helps coordinate care.
If a result is made available to you digitally, what matters next is what it means for your treatment. Discuss who will interpret the findings with you and support the next steps. Depending on the question and the condition identified, this may be your GP practice or our Osteology Centre. For more straightforward questions, we recommend discussing the results with your GP practice; we can provide targeted ongoing input for complex bone findings. We also state the intended responsibilities in our medical letter. Please clarify where and when the discussion will take place so that important results are not left unaddressed.
What to expect and next steps
Preparing for a blood test
You will be told whether you need to fast or attend at a particular time of day for the tests requested. Preparation rules are not the same for all laboratory tests. Please ask if you have not been given specific information.
Please do not start or pause medicines or supplements on your own because a blood test is planned. Tell us if you become dizzy during blood tests or take blood-thinning medication. We can then adapt the arrangements accordingly.
Your next step at OrthoCoast
Specialist bone care is provided by Prof. Dr. med. habil. Hans-Christof Schober, Dr. med. Christoph Jährling, Björn Weidemann and Priv. Doz. Dr. med. habil. Richard Kasch.
Please bring existing laboratory results and your current lists to the assessment. We clarify which investigations are needed and the applicable payment arrangements for the specific request. The separate self-pay arrangement for DXA does not mean that every laboratory test must automatically be paid for privately.
If a planned laboratory service is not covered by your German statutory health insurer and you wish to pay for it yourself, you receive a cost estimate beforehand. We discuss the expected costs and provide the self-pay service only after you have signed your agreement. No self-pay agreement is required for services billed to German statutory health insurance (GKV).
Our doctors in this specialty
Prof. Dr. med. habil.Hans-Christof Schober
Specialist in internal medicine; subspecialist in endocrinology
DVO-certified osteologist
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Dr. med.Christoph Jährling
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
DVO-certified osteologist
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Björn Weidemann
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
DVO-certified osteologist
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Priv. Doz. Dr. med. habil.Richard Kasch
Specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery
View profileThese doctors interpret the examination results in the context of your bone health. We explain the findings and discuss your questions with you.
Frequently asked questions
Can osteoporosis be detected from blood tests alone?
Diagnosis and risk assessment are based on several sources of information. Blood results can reveal important connections, but they do not replace the rest of the specialist bone assessment.
Should I order a comprehensive set of laboratory tests myself beforehand?
Please bring existing reports. We will identify specifically which additional investigations are needed. A large collection of tests you have put together yourself is not automatically helpful.
Do I need to fast?
That depends on the tests requested. Please follow the specific instructions for your appointment or ask beforehand.
What should I do with a report from another practice?
Bring the complete report, including its date and reference ranges. If possible, add whether the findings have already been discussed with a doctor and what the outcome was.
Your next step
