28 May 2012 Last updated at 21:14 ET By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online <\/p>\n
Nasa scientists believe they have found a way to spot osteoporosis bone loss at the earliest disease stages. <\/p>\n
Currently, the condition can go undetected for years and may only be diagnosed with scans after weakening of the bones has led to a fracture. <\/p>\n
The new test - designed partly with astronauts in mind as they too can suffer bone loss due to the microgravity of space - looks for traces of bone calcium in the urine. <\/p>\n
The work is published in PNAS journal. <\/p>\n
The technique developed by scientists at Arizona State University working with the US space agency analyses calcium isotopes - different atoms of the element calcium, derived from bone and each with their own specific number of neutrons. <\/p>\n
This could therefore have a future role in the clinical evaluation of patients <\/p>\n
The balance or abundance of these different isotopes changes when bone is destroyed and formed and can therefore indicate early changes in bone density. <\/p>\n
To put it to the test, the researchers studied a dozen healthy volunteers whom they confined to bed rest for 30 days. Prolonged bed rest triggers bone loss. <\/p>\n
The technique was able to detect bone loss after as little as one week of bed rest - long before changes in bone density would be detectable on conventional medical scans such as dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
More here: <\/p>\n
'Nasa test' spots early bone loss<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 28 May 2012 Last updated at 21:14 ET By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online Nasa scientists believe they have found a way to spot osteoporosis bone loss at the earliest disease stages. Continue reading