Research Shows Cardiac CTs May Be Useful for Osteoporos...

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Research Shows Cardiac CTs May Be Useful for Osteoporosis Diagnosis

Sepideh Moayed

· Osteoporosis

A board-certified radiologist practicing in Los Gatos, California, Dr. Sepideh Moayed has been working with patients for more than two decades. The founder and CEO of Preventative Medicine, Dr. Sepideh Moayed maintains membership in numerous professional societies for radiologists, including (ACR) and Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The RSNA recently highlighted research published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Radiology. The study found that cardiac CT exams may also have the potential to serve as an osteoporosis screening tool. A bone disease that can cause an increased risk of fracture, osteoporosis can have devastating effects if undiagnosed. As a musculoskeletal radiologist, Dr. Sepideh Moayed has seen and treated many devastated by osteoporosis. “Acute, painful vertebral body compression fractures may need vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty (where cement is injected into the vertebral body to preserve height, alignment and prevent progression of the fracture). Hip fractures can be fatal especially when they result in fat embolism (fat clot) that can cause stroke or multiple organ damage.” This disease is most common in women, in those with underlying disease, people with genetic predisposition, those with hormonal imbalances, poor diet, lack of exercise and endocrine abnormalities that aggressively remove calcium from bone.

Bone mineral density (BMD) diagnostic tests are the most common way of diagnosing the disease. However, many at-risk groups do not always obtain these tests early enough to seek treatment that can reduce the risk of fracture. Researchers have found that CT exams, which are typically performed to determine overall heart wellness, can also be used for bone matrix assessment and evaluation (BMD testing) because the thoracic vertebrae are included in the imaging. Nearly 1,500 people participated in a trial that used BMD testing in their cardiac CT scans. Some 12 percent of participants showed very low BMD results. Just under half of them had a fracture within the next three years, and nearly half of those fractures were directly related to osteoporosis. Researchers say that more study is necessary in order to effectively determine the potential of using cardiac CT scans as a diagnostic tool for osteoporosis. If they are found to be useful, practitioners say this technique would be very easy to implement from a clinical standpoint. Further, the researchers say any CT imaging that includes a clear look at major bones could potentially be a vehicle for measuring BMD in the future. “Some groundbreaking and useful AI tools in radiology include bone matrix analysis and osteoporosis scoring.” “We radiologists are physicians who truly welcome all the that AI has to offer. Imaging studies provide a wealth of information. AI software helps radiologists optimize findings and provide better patient care. As a physician interested in disease prevention, AI software allows me to have more time to connect with my patients and help them implement lifestyle changes that can help dampen or slow down the progression of this debilitating disease. Science may someday reverse bone loss. For now, prevention and early detection can help decrease morbidity and save lives.”