Investigators have developed an artificial intelligence-assisted diagnostic system that can estimate bone mineral density in both the lumbar spine and the femur of the upper leg, based on X-ray images. The advance is described in a study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.

A total of 1,454 X-ray images were analyzed using the scientists’ system. Performance rates for the lumbar and femur of patients with bone density loss, or osteopenia, were 86.4% and 84.1%, respectively, in terms of sensitivity.

The respective specificities were 80.4% and 76.3%. (Sensitivity reflected the ability of the test to correctly identify people with osteopenia, whereas specificity reflected its ability to correctly identify those without osteopenia). The test also had high sensitivity and specificity for categorizing patients with and without osteoporosis.

“Bone mineral density measurement is essential for screening and diagnosing osteoporosis, but limited access to diagnostic equipment means that millions of people worldwide may remain undiagnosed,” said corresponding author Toru Moro, MD, Ph.D., of the University of Tokyo.

“This AI system has the potential to transform routine clinical X-rays into a powerful tool for opportunistic screening, enabling earlier, broader, and more efficient detection of osteoporosis.”