Diagnose: Mrs. Harris is a 60 year old white woman. She has noticed in recent years that her height has slightly decreased. Recently, she fractured her wrist in a slight fall. Which skeletal system disorder might she be suffering from? What techniques could be used to diagnose her condition? What treatments are available?

Q: Which skeletal system disorder might she be suffering from?

A: Osteoporosis

Q: What techniques could be used to diagnose her condition?

A: Bone mineral density (BMD) test or dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan

Q: What treatments are available?

A: Medication, healthy food.

Explanation:

The vertebral discs between vertebrae could shrink with age. Therefore, a height loss up to 1-inch is normal. However, if the height loss is more then it is possibly due to osteoporosis.

A bone mineral density test, also known as dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan, is a well-adapted test to measure the amount of calcium and other minerals in the bones. It uses X-rays to measure the content of calcium and thus strength of bones.

A person who is already suffering from osteoporosis should be treated with medicine right away so that it stops further deterioration of the bones and avoid any future bone fractures. Further, it can be handled by eating a healthy diet and supplements such as vitamins D. In case some of the bones/vertebrae are already fractured, surgical approaches might be necessary.