AI model predicts fracture risk using bone scans

A group in Australia has developed an AI model that shows promise in predicting fracture risk in patients based on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) exams, according to a study published October 19 in JBMR Plus.The goal is to develop AI that could serve as a screening tool, wrote lead author Damith Senanayake, PhD, of the University of Melbourne, and colleagues.“Accurate prediction of fracture events could trigger prompt preventive strategies, which have demonstrated to be effective in reducing the number of events and their devastating consequences,” the researchers wrote.DEXA scans are one of the most frequently used imaging techniques for calculating bone mineral density (BMD) and the current gold standard for diagnosing osteoporosis. However, calculating fracture risk using DEXA image features is rarely performed due to the complex data analysis required. Rather, clinicians often base risk on whether people have experienced falls, the researchers noted.Thus, the aim of this study was to employ AI technology together with DEXA images and patient clinical information to evaluate fracture risk in a group of fallers and age-matched healthy controls.Notably, the researchers employed a relatively new approach. They combined a vision transformer (ViT) model with a standard convolutional neural network (VGG-16 and Resnet-50). These technologies emerged separately as ways to identify, classify, and segment objects in images. Evidence now suggests that they are more power...

Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - October 23, 2023 Category: Radiology Authors: Will Morton Tags: Clinical News Digital X-Ray Source Type: news