Funding to aid development of routine osteoporosis test

Tim Cootes, professor of computer vision in the School of Cancer and Enabling Sciences, has been awarded £136,600 over two years from Arthritis Research UK to carry out the work.

Working with Prof Judith Adams at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Prof Cootes and his team aim to produce a new computer program to detect fractured vertebrae in radiographs, which are commonly used to diagnose osteoporosis. Currently, up to 50 per cent of fractured vertebrae are missed, as identifying them requires considerable expertise.

‘The tool will automatically measure the shape of each vertebra and indicate if it is damaged or unusual, so helping clinicians to detect vertebral fractures more reliably and quickly,’ said Cootes. ‘This will help to diagnose osteoporosis at an earlier stage, leading to earlier treatment and reducing the risk of future fractures.’

Osteoporosis is a condition affecting the bones, causing them to weaken and fracture. Around three million people in the UK have the disease — mainly post-menopausal women — leading to more than 230,000 fractures. Lifestyle changes and drug treatments can reduce the risk of fractures, so early diagnosis is important.