Key Summary
- NICE backs adding a quick spine check to routine bone scans for people over 50 years.
- It is done on the same scanner, during the same visit.
- Helps spot silent spinal fractures before serious breaks occur.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended that the addition of a quick spine check called vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) to the routine bone scans can help in early detection of spine fractures caused by osteoporosis.
In its draft osteoporosis guideline published on Tuesday (13), NICE said the healthcare practitioners should offer these checks during dual energy X ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone mineral density scans, in people aged 50 and over.
It can be done on the same scanner during the same visit, and hence it is cost effective.
The guideline consultation will be open until 23 February 2026, 5 pm.
Risk prediction tool (either FRAX or QFracture) is offered to people who are at risk of fragility fractures, and if their risk score of 10 percent or more, they are offered a DXA scan.
The draft guidance recommends that DXA scans should be automatically offered without the need for a risk assessment tool to people who have had either a previous hip or vertebral fragility fracture, because it is likely that their risk score will exceed 10 percent.
Osteoporosis develops slowly over the years and leads to a loss of bone strength, and there are no symptoms. It is often diagnosed when a fall or sudden impact causes a bone to break.
In the UK, approximately 3.5 million people are affected by osteoporosis and around 2.95 million are in England.
Meanwhile, the NHS has rolled out 13 new DXA bone scanners in hospitals across England, delivering an extra 29,000 scans per year.
“Introducing vertebral fracture assessments during routine bone density scans will help healthcare professionals get the right care to people sooner,” said Eric Power, interim director of the Centre for guidelines.
