The use of routine non density calibrated clinical computed tomography data as a potentially useful screening tool for identifying patients with osteoporosis.

CONCLUSIONS: CT attenuation values of the first lumbar vertebra can be measured on routine abdomen CTs with limited variability despite multiple readers and scanners. Correlation between HU and BMD as measured by DXA scan was only weakly positive, and by this method measuring the density of a lumbar vertebral body from a routine MDCT scan does not provide the sensitivity or specificity necessary for a screening test. However above a certain measured value (180 HU), patients have a low chance of osteoporosis and therefore may not need additional screening, potentially limiting radiation exposure and cost. PMID: 27920811 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab Source Type: research