Instant Vertebral Assessment^™ allows you to visualize calcified plaques in the abdominal aorta, which may be a significant indication of heart disease and stroke ^1-3. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading causes of death of women in America and most developed countries, with nearly 39 percent of all female deaths in the U.S. occurring from CHD.

Despite advances in treating coronary heart disease, a large number of CHD victims die suddenly without prior symptoms. Many coronary heart specialists now believe that available screening and diagnostic methods are insufficient to identify high-risk CHD patients before the first event occurs. As a result, there is an interest in the detection of preclinical or subclinical atherosclerosis.

The Hologic Discovery^™ Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) system is now cleared for use to visualize abdominal aortic calcification in addition to its use in osteoporosis assessment and vertebral analysis.

The new indication, visualizations of abdominal aortic calcifications (AAC) in a standard low dose bone density test, may help the physician identify the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in older men and women - heart disease and stroke. AAC is significantly associated with both cardiovascular heart disease and stroke even after adjustment for the traditional risk factors of age, cigarette use, diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure, left ventricular hypertrophy, body mass index, cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol ^4-7.

Since it's recommended that post menopausal women have a bone density test every two years, physicians can now visualize AAC which is associated with heart and stroke problems on a much more frequent basis.

1 Wilson PWF, Kauppila LI, O'Donnell CJ, et al. Abdominal aortic calcific deposits are an important predictor of vascular morbidity and mortality. Circulation. 2001;103(11):1529-34.

2 Hollander M, Hak AE, Koudstaal PJ, et al. Comparison between measures of atherosclerosis and risk of stroke: the Rotterdam Study. Stroke. 2003;34(10): 2367-2372.

3 van der Meer IM, Bots ML, Hofman A, del Sol AI, van der Kuip DAM, Witteman JCM. Predictive value of noninvasive measures of atherosclerosis for incident myocardial infarction: the Rotterdam Study. Circulation. 2004;109(9):1089-1094.

4 Hollander, M., et al., Comparison between measures of atherosclerosis and risk of stroke: the Rotterdam Study. Stroke, 2003. 34(10): p. 2367-72.

5 van der Meer, I.M., et al., Predictive value of noninvasive measures of atherosclerosis for incident myocardial infarction: the Rotterdam Study. Circulation, 2004. 109(9): p. 1089-94.

6 Walsh, C.R., et al., Abdominal aortic calcific deposits are associated with increased risk for congestive heart failure: the Framingham Heart Study. Am Heart J, 2002. 144(4): p. 733-9.

7 Wilson, P.W., et al., Abdominal aortic calcific deposits are an important predictor of vascular morbidity and mortality. Circulation, 2001. 103(11): p. 1529-34.