We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

MedImaging

Download Mobile App
Recent News Radiography MRI Ultrasound Nuclear Medicine General/Advanced Imaging Imaging IT Industry News

Digital Wrist Tomosynthesis Assesses Women’s Bone Health

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 08 Feb 2021
Print article
Image: A 19-year-old woman undergoing DWT in a DBT scanner (Photo courtesy of Yener Yeni/ Henry Ford)
Image: A 19-year-old woman undergoing DWT in a DBT scanner (Photo courtesy of Yener Yeni/ Henry Ford)
A new study shows how digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) scanners can also be used to perform bone density measurements.

Researchers at Henry Ford Health System (Detroit, MI, USA) conducted a study to explore the feasibility of using DBT devices for digital wrist tomosynthesis (DWT) so as to measure bone mineral density (BMD), cortical bone thickness, and microstructural properties of the wrist bone. The results were then correlated to reference measurements acquired via microcomputed tomography and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The researchers recruited five patients, (19 to 75 years of age), who aligned their left hand on a generic hand template taped to a DBT machine.

The results showed that measurements from DWT imaging with a DBT scanner were highly repeatable; in ex-vivo trials, DWT derived BMDs were strongly correlated with reference measurements, as was the cortical thickness measured at lateral and medial cortices, and the majority of microstructural measures. In-vivo measurements were quick and tolerated well by the volunteer patients with no discomfort, and appeared to be different between young and old participants in a preliminary comparison. The study was published on December 13, 2021, in Bone.

“DWT is feasible in a mammography setting, and informative on bone mass, cortical thickness, and microstructural qualities that are known to deteriorate in osteoporosis. To our knowledge, this study represents the first application of DBT for imaging bone,” concluded lead author Yener Yeni, PhD, and colleagues. “It is reasonable to expect that with increasing adoption of DBT and continued high adherence to breast screening, bone screening would become more prevalent if offered in coordination with DBT breast exams.”

Osteoporosis is defined as a bone density of 2.5 standard deviations below that of a young adult, as measured by DXA. It is the most common reason for a broken bone among the elderly, and may be due to a lower than normal peak bone mass and a greater than normal bone loss. It is more common in women than men, with 2-8% of males and 9-38% of females affected after menopause, usually due to lower levels of estrogen.

Related Links:
Henry Ford Health System

Gold Member
Solid State Kv/Dose Multi-Sensor
AGMS-DM+
Computed Tomography (CT) Scanner
Aquilion Serve SP
New
Color Doppler Ultrasound System
KC20
New
X-Ray Detector
FDR-D-EVO III

Print article

Channels

MRI

view channel
Image: Diamond dust offers a potential alternative to the widely used contrast agent gadolinium in MRI (Photo courtesy of Max Planck Institute)

Diamond Dust Could Offer New Contrast Agent Option for Future MRI Scans

Gadolinium, a heavy metal used for over three decades as a contrast agent in medical imaging, enhances the clarity of MRI scans by highlighting affected areas. Despite its utility, gadolinium not only... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The multi-spectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) machine generates images of biological tissues (Photo courtesy of University of Missouri)

New Imaging Technique Monitors Inflammation Disorders without Radiation Exposure

Imaging inflammation using traditional radiological techniques presents significant challenges, including radiation exposure, poor image quality, high costs, and invasive procedures. Now, new contrast... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more