Bone densitometer

A method of scanning a patient, the method comprising:

• moving a radiation source and a radiation detector along a first scan path substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the patient, wherein the first scan path is across a first femur from a supracondylar flare to a head of the first femur and across a second femur from a supracondylar flare to a head of the second femur;
• emitting a first beam of radiation from the radiation source during movement along the first scan path;
• detecting the first beam of radiation at the radiation detector during movement along the first scan path;
• processing the detected beam so as to form a first image of a first area of the patient along the scan path, wherein the first area includes both the first femur and the second femur;
• identifying a region in the first image;
• moving the radiation source and the radiation detector along a region scan path corresponding to the identified region;
• emitting a region beam of radiation from the radiation source during movement along the region scan path;
• and
• detecting the region beam of radiation at the radiation detector during movement along the region scan path.

A method comprising:

• measuring a bone mass density of two hips of a patient;
• emitting a first beam of radiation along a first scan path, wherein the first scan path encompasses at least a portion of a length of a femur of the patient;
• detecting the first beam of radiation along the first scan path;
• processing the detected first beam so as to form a plurality of first scan path images of the patient;
• determining a degree of image alignment between adjacent portions of adjacent images of the plurality of first scan path images;
• merging the adjacent images of the first scan path images at the adjacent portions to form a first scan path composite image;
• and
• identifying a region in the first scan path composite image, wherein the region is associated with at least one of an atypical femoral fracture and a developing atypical femoral fracture.