Hologic Uses Discovery DXA to Detect Heart Disease

Hologic Inc. has received clearance from the FDA to use information from the Hologic Discovery Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) system as a predictor of coronary heart disease, stroke and other forms of cardiovascular disease. The new indication, visualization of Abdominal Aortic Calcification (AAC), targets the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in older women and men — heart disease and stroke.
Discovery measures the two primary diagnostic indicators of osteoporosis — bone mineral density and vertebral fractures. The FDA’s clearance, based on clinical data, means that doctors can use the information from a standard low dose, 10-second Instant Vertebral Assessment (IVA) osteoporosis test to visualize the presence of AAC, which is associated with cardiovascular disease.