Scientists from Lund University have developed a new 3D bone modeling method that could prevent thousands of life-threatening hip fractures every year. The research was published in the journal Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Osteoporosis is a decrease in bone density that mainly affects older people. This condition significantly increases the risk of fractures, including of the femur. Only 76% of patients survive one year after a hip fracture. The current method of diagnosing osteoporosis using X-rays misses about half of people at high risk of fracture. Additionally, X-rays are often used for the first time when the patient has already suffered a fracture.
The new method will help detect people with osteoporosis before they break and take preventive measures. It uses 2D X-ray images obtained from bone density measurements to create 3D models of the femur. With their help, you can predict how the bone will behave, for example, if it falls.
Scientists ran simulations based on data from more than 400 people. Over the next decade, some broke their hips. 3D modeling was more accurate than standard bone density measurements in predicting hip fracture risk.
“Using the new model, we were able to identify approximately a thousand more people per year at high risk of hip fracture. The results show that this method can also be used to detect osteoporosis before the first fracture occurs,” said study author Hanna Isaksson, professor of biomedical engineering at Lund University’s Faculty of Engineering. “Detection can help improve patients’ quality of life and reduce healthcare costs,” he said.
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