The W-index (WI) is a recently proposed method for diagnosis of osteoporosis based on data from panoramic radiographs, in which the pixel intensity of the oblique line is compared with the pixel intensity of adjacent structures at the mandibular ramus. The objective of a new study published in General Dentistry was to validate the usefulness of the WI for screening patients at risk of osteoporosis by correlating WI results with those obtained from the standard osteoporosis screening tool, peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The results indicated a significant but negligible correlation between the methods. The WI values were able to differentiate patients with normal bone mineral density or osteopenia from patients with osteoporosis, suggesting that the WI is an easy, convenient osteoporosis screening tool that could be used in the dental office.

Read more in the January/February issue.