NASA scientists develop osteoporosis test that detects bone loss early
Baku, June 4 (AZERTAC). NASA scientists are turning their attention from deep space to the millions of adults facing osteoporosis. They`ve teamed up with researchers from Arizona State University to develop a new technique that can detect bone loss earlier than currently used X-ray methods.
The research could eventually change the way the disease is diagnosed, the scientists said.
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"NASA conducts these studies because astronauts in microgravity experience skeletal unloading and suffer bone loss," study co-author Scott M. Smith, a NASA nutritionist, said in a written statement. "It`s one of the major problems in human spaceflight, and we need to find better ways to monitor and counteract it. But the methods used to detect the effects of skeletal unloading in astronauts are also relevant to general medicine."
The test works by looking for traces of bone calcium in urine, called isotopes. Scientists tested the new method on 12 healthy subjects confined to bed rest for 30 days, because when a person lies down, less weight is placed on the legs and spine and bones start deteriorating. Extended periods of bed rest cause bone loss similar to that experienced by osteoporosis patients and astronauts, the scientists said.
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