Endocrine Abstracts

There are currently no robust methods for screening patients at risk of developing osteoporosis. Women tend to be more susceptible to low bone mineral density (BMD), whether its genetic, disease related, or menopausal and osteoporosis can also affect men. Access to dual energy x-ray absorption units (DEXA), is scarce and waiting lists are long. This has been exacerbated by the pandemic and the growing referral lists for radiology services. The burden of the disease processes is found to create a reduction in patients’ quality of life (QoL), and a permanent need for access to healthcare services. A recent Cushing syndrome QoL study showed that when patients are diagnosed with osteoporosis, they realise that if they had been diagnosed sooner and treated earlier, it would have reduced their life-long risk of fractures. The Solution An advanced software product has the proven potential to provide a solution to the osteoporosis crisis; ¹ This software measures bone health from a standard X-ray, meaning that if a patient has a hip fracture, (which is often an early warning sign of poor bone health) the early onset of low BMD, could be identified, enabling patients to be referred for early treatment. In endocrine disorders, patients could be screened as part of their initial diagnostic assessment. Undoubtedly, advanced software and the use of artificial intelligence in radiology services is increasing, with the aim of supporting clinical decision making, thus speeding up diagnosis, increasing early intervention, whilst saving the financial burden of long-term healthcare.

Ref: Rangan A et al, 2021. Prospective comparative study of quantitative X-ray (QXR) vs dual energy x-ray absorptiometry to determine the performance of QXR as a predictor of bone health for adult patients in secondary care. BMJ Open, Dec 2021. Volume 11, Issue 12.