New Osteoporosis Screening Article via CT Scan

Thank you for sharing about this new Osteoporosis Screening CT Scan Test to be covered by Medicare. I will be on Medicare next year.

Thanks for sharing this. It is good to know that Medicare has stepped up.

I was just listening to a podcast from The Bone Health Basement Tapes (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sabre-and-the-opening-of-bone-healths-next/id1804344154) where they talked about how the new SABRE study will open up more options not only for treatments but also for better tools to diagnose like this.

In reading the article and doing more research on this topic it appears that, Biomechanical CT (BCT) is not typically ordered as a standalone, primary screening test—nor is it a complete replacement for a DXA scan. Instead, it functions as a highly accurate supplementary tool or when standard testing is unavailable, inconclusive, or already captured via other CT imaging. BCT uses computational engineering (finite element analysis) to calculate bone strength and structural load-bearing capacity. It uses software to analyze an already existing clinical CT scan (such as one of your hip or spine) to generate a "virtual stress test" of the bone, measuring both density and structural breaking strength. Other factors to consider are higher radiation exposure, the distorting effects of contrast dyes if used, potential over diagnosis in the spine, and limited widespread standardization.

DXA scan remains the gold standard for OP screening. Recommended to discuss the pros and cons with your provider.

@sharonba
This is meant for those of us that have had CT scans of hip or lower spine already. Just needs to be sent by a physician to be reread using new criteria. no new radiation necessary.
Just new information and what is covered by Medicare. I think this is good news especially for those of us that are small in frame where DXA may not give an accurate picture.

I see no reason to get all excited by this. It is of very limited use. It could give some additional info perhaps if a person had never had a DXA and had to have a CT scan of their lower spine and hips for other reasons. In that situation sure, makes sense to analyze the CT scan for bone density and quality. But there is no mention of a translation of this CT report to be able to relate it to a DXA. No way to use this going forward to track progress or worsening of your bone density. No one would keep getting CT scans to check bone density. Way way too much radiation. Perhaps if one had to track some other condition that was so dire you are ignoring the radiation. Maybe in that case you could continue to track your bone density?
In short this might be a useful one time thing for the subset of people who have lumbar and pelvic CT scans. Other than that I don't see it as important.

@sharonba— I’m totally over these so called gold standards tests. I have insisted on having QT breast Scan’s (no radiation or pressure) now for two years and those are soon (this year sometime) to be covered by insurance as well. With pressure from us “women“ science testing can improve and more often than not evolve for the better.👍🏻

@maymore. Exactly, we have to advocate for what is right for each of us as individuals.