[Criteria and classification for diagnosis of osteoporosis in Japan]

Osteoporosis has become one of the most serious medical and social problems in Japan, as the number of elderly people is increasing. Osteoporosis should be diagnosed early and treated properly to maintain the patients' quality of life before associated fractures occur. The Japanese society for bone and mineral research prepared the criteria for diagnosis of osteoporosis in 1995 and modified them in 1996. Here, we explained the 1996's modified criteria and described the actual way to diagnose osteoporosis. Low bone mass is evaluated by radiographic osteopenia or bone mineral density in lumbar body. We have to exclude the other disorders showing low bone mass.