The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism published the HSS study, “MRI-based Texture Analysis of Trabecular Bone for Opportunistic Screening of Skeletal Fragility” by senior author Emily Margaret Stein, MD, MS, endocrinologist and bone specialist.

Dr. Stein and colleagues looked to evaluate texture features as a measure of bone fragility, by comparing clinically acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from individuals with and without a history of fragility fracture.

The retrospective study investigated 100 subjects who had lumbar spine MRI performed and texture analysis revealed that trabecular bone was more heterogeneous in fracture patients.

The study concluded that MRI-based textural analysis of trabecular bone discriminated between patients with known osteoporotic fractures and controls. The methodology is promising and will require further investigation to validate, which could greatly expand the number of patients screened for skeletal fragility.

Read the study abstract at Pubmed.com.