Artificial intelligence (AI) software developer Optasia Medical has installed its osteoporosis detection AI algorithm at several National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the U.K.
The algorithm identifies vertebral fragility fractures on existing CT scans of the spine and flags the cases for review, according to the vendor. If the results are verified by a consultant radiologist, the scan is then returned to the hospital for further investigation. Two successful pilots have been carried out in collaboration with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, resulting in the referral of 1,432 previously undiagnosed patients for further assessment and treatment, Optasia said.
The process was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Invention for Innovation program and developed by the University of Manchester and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with Optasia. Additional input was also provided by the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
![A normal mammogram confirmed by three-year radiologic follow-up illustrates reader-marked regions of interest (ROIs) during (A) unaided (round 1) and (B) artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted (round 2) reading. Each colored dot represents an ROI for recall by a human reader. Readers could mark more than one ROI per case, represented by multiple dots of the same color. During AI-assisted reading, the AI system displayed three visible prompts: two with suspicion of malignancy scores of 35% (left mediolateral oblique [L MLO] and craniocaudal [L CC]) and one with a suspicion of malignancy score of 10% (right craniocaudal [R CC]), shown as polygonal overlays. Without AI, six of 10 readers (60%) marked a false-positive ROI. With AI assistance, this fell to two of 10 (20%). R MLO = right mediolateral oblique.](https://img.auntminnieeurope.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/07/2026-07-14-radiology-mammogram-ai-auto-bias.H0bYO8QlWs.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
