Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) in the Management of Osteoporosis and Assessment of Fracture Risk

J Clin Densitom. 2017 Jul-Sep;20(3):322-333. doi: 10.1016/j.jocd.2017.06.018. Epub 2017 Jul 21.

Abstract

The use of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) for a variety of skeletal sites, associated with the absence of technology-specific guidelines, has created uncertainty with respect to the application of QUS results to the management of individual patients in clinical practice. However, when prospectively validated (this is not the case for all QUS devices and skeletal sites), QUS is a proven, low-cost, and readily accessible alternative to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) for the assessment of fracture risk. Indeed, the clinical use of QUS to identify subjects at low or high risk of osteoporotic fracture should be considered when central DXA is unavailable. Furthermore, the use of QUS in conjunction with clinical risk factors (CRF),allows for the identification of subjects who have a low and high probability of osteoporotic fracture. Device- and parameter-specific thresholds should be developed and cross-validated to confirm the concurrent use of QUS and CRF for the institution of pharmacological therapy and monitoring therapy.

Keywords: Broadband ultrasound attenuation; fracture prediction; osteoporosis; quantitative ultrasound; speed of sound.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bone Density*
  • Calcaneus / diagnostic imaging*
  • Femur Neck / diagnostic imaging
  • Finger Phalanges / diagnostic imaging
  • Hip Fractures / etiology
  • Humans
  • Osteoporosis / complications
  • Osteoporosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Osteoporotic Fractures / etiology*
  • Radius / diagnostic imaging
  • Risk Assessment / methods
  • Risk Factors
  • Spinal Fractures / etiology
  • Tibia / diagnostic imaging
  • Ultrasonography / methods*