DXA is a cost-effective and widely available imaging method used worldwide to better understand osteoporosis and other diseases and treatments that affect bone health. Due to its low cost and minimal radiation dose, DXA is ideally positioned to enable researchers to recruit large numbers of patients and perform multiple follow-up examinations in a short time frame.
Despite its many advantages, DXA also has limitations, as it only provides a two-dimensional assessment of bone mineral density, known as areal bone mineral density (aBMD). This two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional structure, while good, limits the possibility of a deeper understanding of bone disease, as key data on the condition and response of the cortical and trabecular bone compartments are missing.
What if you could obtain quantitative computed tomography (QCT)-like data from a routine DXA scan? Well, now it’s possible with 3D-Shaper® Research software, an innovative solution that bridges the gap between DXA-based and QCT assessments by providing patient-specific, QCT-like three-dimensional analysis from a standard two-dimensional DXA image. This means more patients, more time points, and easier Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals – all for a fraction of the cost.
