Etymed
osteopenia
Definition
A condition characterized by lower-than-normal bone density, but not low enough to be classified as osteoporosis
Clinical context
A 65-year-old postmenopausal woman presents to her primary care physician for routine check-up. She has no significant symptoms but has a family history of hip fractures. Her bone density scan shows decreased bone mass with T-score of -1.2. She is diagnosed with osteopenia and started on calcium and vitamin D supplementation.
Mnemonic
OSTEOPENIA - Osteoporosis is not yet, but bone density is already OPEN for trouble