By Claire Sadler
Publication Date: 2026-05-13 06:01:00
A WA researcher and his global team have successfully shown that artificial intelligence can detect a marker of heart disease using bone scans.
Joshua Lewis, a professor at Edith Cowan University, used an AI algorithm on the DEXA bone density scans – a tool for assessing the risk of osteoporosis – of 50,000 people and found that it could tell in seconds whether someone was at risk of heart disease.
The AI tool could detect whether calcium has built up in a person’s abdominal aorta, a key indicator of heart disease risk, enabling early detection and prevention of a heart attack or stroke.
Currently, the detection of calcification is limited to a specialist examination, which can be an expensive and time-consuming process.
Professor Lewis said the results could mean around 700,000 Australians who undergo a DEXA bone scan annually could also learn about their heart health using the same device.
“Heart disease is a leading cause of death in Australia and our research has shown…
