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Absorptiometry, Photon MeSH Descriptor Data 2026


MeSH Heading
Absorptiometry, Photon
Tree Number(s)
E01.370.350.700.024
E05.196.712.224.187
Unique ID
D015502
RDF Unique Identifier
http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/D015502
Scope Note
A noninvasive method for assessing BODY COMPOSITION. It is based on the differential absorption of X-RAYS (or GAMMA RAYS) by different tissues such as bone, fat and other soft tissues. The source of (X-ray or gamma-ray) photon beam is generated either from radioisotopes such as GADOLINIUM 153, IODINE 125, or Americanium 241 which emit GAMMA RAYS in the appropriate range; or from an X-ray tube which produces X-RAYS in the desired range. It is primarily used for quantitating BONE MINERAL CONTENT, especially for the diagnosis of OSTEOPOROSIS, and also in measuring BONE MINERALIZATION.
Entry Term(s)
Absorptiometry, Dual X-Ray
Absorptiometry, Dual-Energy Radiographic
Absorptiometry, Dual-Energy X-Ray
Absorptiometry, X-Ray
DEXA Scan
DPX Absorptiometry
DXA Scan
Densitometry, X-Ray
Densitometry, Xray
Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry
Dual-Energy Radiographic Absorptiometry
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Scan
Dual-Photon Absorptiometry
Photodensitometry, X-Ray
Photon Absorptiometry
Radiographic Absorptiometry, Dual-Energy
Single-Photon Absorptiometry
X-Ray Absorptiometry
X-Ray Absorptiometry, Dual-Energy
X-Ray Photodensitometry
Previous Indexing
Absorption (1972-1979)
Densitometry (1966-1989)
Radionuclide Imaging (1977-1989)
Spectrophotometry, Atomic Absorption (1974-1982)
Tomography, Emission Computed (1980-1989)
Public MeSH Note
90; was see RADIONUCLIDE IMAGING 1985-89
Online Note
use RADIONUCLIDE IMAGING to search ABSORPTIOMETRY, PHOTON 1985-89
History Note
90; was see RADIONUCLIDE IMAGING 1985-1989; for DUAL-ENERGY RADIOGRAPHIC ABSORPTIOMETRY use DENSITOMETRY, X-RAY
Date Introduced
1990/01/01
Last Updated
2013/07/09
Absorptiometry, Photon Preferred
Radiographic Absorptiometry, Dual-Energy Narrower
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Narrower
Dual-Photon Absorptiometry Related
Single-Photon Absorptiometry Related
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry Scan Narrower
Densitometry, X-Ray Narrower
Absorptiometry, X-Ray Narrower
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