The bones in the human body form the structure which supports the various muscles, tissues and organs of the body. The bone structure of the body also ensures that the body is particularly strong and capable of handling a lot of physical strain. Many bones in the body also contain bone marrow which is important for the production of red blood cells, one of the basic functions of the human body. It is important to differentiate between a bone test and bone scan. The former is done to check for density and marrow related conditions whereas the latter is performed to check for fractures which may occur as a result of some violent physical injury.
A bone test is a type of medical test used to check the status of the bones. A bone test may be used to check the density of the bone. Bone density is important because it determines the strength and health of the bones. Bones with low density may be weak and brittle whereas those with excess density may also be troublesome. A bone test for density is used to determine if there is any problem in the production of bone material. Bone test for kids is a normal feature to check the bone density as kids are very prone to injuries since they are more active in outdoor activities. A bone test anatomy may also be conducted to check for any abnormality in the structure of the bones.
The bones change in size and structure throughout the life of an individual. The test to determine age of the individual is also called the bone age. This could be conducted depending on the requirement of the hour.
A bone test may also be used for the analysis of bone marrow. Bone marrow is important from the point of view of red blood cell production. Bone marrow may also be relevant when one speaks of certain cancers that can affect the body. A bone test for cancer may be crucial in the diagnosis of the condition which is why it needs to be performed.
There are many different ways in which a bone test can be conducted. For bone density tests, a bone test may involves the use of X-ray scanning which can be calibrated to determine the density of the bone mass. For bone marrow examination, the bone test is conducted with the use of a thick needle which has to be inserted through the bone into the marrow. Naturally, this type of bone test is painful and may need the patient to be admitted to hospital for the recovery period.
Depending on the test, the bone test results should be available immediately. This is particularly applicable to the bone test results where scanning machines are used. For bone marrow analysis, the bone test results may take some time as the marrow will need to be analyzed for its chemical makeup.