Clinical Research Studies

Osteoporosis and its complications - specifically, fragility fractures - constitute an enormous medical, economical, and societal burden. This problem is best addressed by prevention, but an optimal screening tool for osteoporotic fractures is still lacking. MRI of the hips and wrist has been shown in multiple studies to be sensitive and specific for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Furthermore, this modality does not require radiation exposure making it an attractive option for screening. However the ability of MRI to predict fractures remains unclear. Using wrist MRI evaluation of trabecular structure may allow for early detection of osteoporotic changes enabling effective preventive treatment. Since, wrist changes have been shown to occur earlier in the course of osteoporosis, wrist MRI may be better suited for screening. This pilot study aims to establish preliminary data for the use of MRI of the distal radius to predict osteoporotic fractures early in the course of the condition. Wrist MRIs of subjects at high-risk for osteoporotic fracture (subjects with a history of a fragility fracture) will be compared to wrist MRIs of age matched subjects that are at low risk. MRI measures compared will include quantitative assessment of trabecular bone thickness and the amount of bone porosity. The results of this pilot study will serve as a basis for further study by refining the testing protocol and defining the sample size enabling large-scale longitudinal assessment of this novel diagnostic tool