Routine Imaging Scans May Predict Fracture Risk in Older Adults

A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found routine body computed tomography (CT) scans may help clinicians predict an individual's risk of future osteoporotic fractures, reports ScienceDaily . "CT scans are commonly performed in older adults for a wide variety of reasons," says the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health's Dr. Perry J. Pickhardt. "The rich bone data embedded in these scans is often ignored, but can and should be harnessed for opportunistic screening for fracture risk." The research team examined 507 older adults who received chest and/or abdominal CT scans for a variety of indications, and found a rapid density measurement of bone quality known as vertebral trabecular attenuation correlated with fracture risk in the following six years. Undergoing a trabecular attenuation of the first lumbar vertebra below a certain threshold was linked with an elevated risk of future fractures.