Aventura Heart Center: Bone Density and Body Composition Skeletons and Schmaltz

Dr. Robert Rasken and Dr. David Korn, directors, Aventura Heart Center
Dr. Robert Rasken and Dr. David Korn, directors, Aventura Heart Center

Osteoporosis is a major health hazard of aging affecting an estimated 44 million Americans, resulting in one million hip, spine, and wrist fractures annually. Hip fractures cause significant numbers of patients to never walk unaided again.

Modern bone densitometers can measure bone density and define osteoporosis, osteopenia (milder bone thinning), and normal bone density.

“Major risks for osteoporosis are female, advanced age, small frame, family history, removal of the ovaries, early menopause, lack of exercise, eating disorders, medicines such as steroids, alcohol and tobacco use,” says Dr. David Korn of Aventura Heart Center. “Fortunately, medicinal interventions are available to stop and even reverse osteopenia and osteoporosis.”

X-Rays are used in a bone densitometer, however, the amount absorbed by the patient is only about one tenth of that received from a chest XRay. Prevention of osteoporosis dramatically decreases bone fractures and the ensuing pain and disability.

Aventura Heart Center has now taken this testing to a newer, more advanced level by adding body composition analysis along with standard bone density analysis. Routine height and weight will determine Body Mass Index, a general assessment of healthy or overweight patients.

Aventura Heart Center’s new GE lunar densitometer not only determines bone mineral density, but also it determines total body composition. Total body fat for various regions of the body is calculated, displaying percent of fat, fat in grams, lean mass in grams and bone mineral content in grams.

“The patient’s values are compared to known standards for essential fat in the body, acceptable fat content, athletic patients, and overweight and obese patients,” says Dr. Robert Rasken. “Men and women have different percentages, but all patients are compared to age and gender matched standards.

“This technology is valuable to assess obesity and weight management, efficacy of exercise programs, and dietary responses to specific regimens,” adds Dr. Rasken. “Different sports and types of training can be evaluated, along with certain medical conditions associated with body wasting.”

Drs. David Korn and Robert Rasken can evaluate and explain what you can do to improve your health and reduce your risk of fractures, weight related diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, and heart and vascular disease.

Aventura Heart Center is located at 2845 Aventura Blvd. For more information and to make an appointment, call 305-932-6061.


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