BMDnow: Measuring Bone Density with CT – Automated and Precise

Osteoporosis is one of the most common causes of bone fractures in old age. Yet it often goes undetected. The BMDnow project aims to significantly improve detection—through automated analysis of bone density in CT scans.

Goal: Automated Evaluation of Bone Density from Dual-Energy CT

As part of the LOEWE3 project, Fraunhofer IGD, together with the industry partner Garritz and the University Hospital Frankfurt, is developing a fully automated pipeline. This system makes it possible to precisely determine the bone density of individual vertebrae from dual-energy CT scans.

Segmentation, Calculation, Diagnosis – All Automated

1. Segmentation: First, the trabecular region of the vertebrae is segmented. To achieve this, the project team is currently testing various AI-based models on real patient data from the university hospital.

2. Calculation: Next comes the voxel-based calculation of bone density—using specific calibration curves previously created with reference phantoms.

3. Diagnosis: The calculated values reveal whether osteoporosis or osteopenia (its preliminary stage) is present.