ISS Research helping develop high-resolution scanners for bone and joint diseases

Studying what happens during long stays in space offers a good insight into osteoporosis. Research on the International Space Station helped develop high-resolution scanners that analyse bone and joint diseases in just three minutes. The high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) machine has introduced a new dimension in the imaging of bone and joints by providing 3D images in vivo while exposing the patient to very low levels of radiation. “Space research has been a tremendous accelerator in the development of high-resolution scanners,” says Vico. This non-invasive technique allows looking at the microstructure of the bone with unprecedented resolution. Data has been collected from a dozen astronauts on six-month missions in space. The scanner is commercially available (Xtreme CT, Scanco Medical) and is used in bone research labs all over the world since 2005. Over 300 papers have been published about its clinical and research uses.