Bunkerhill Health Achieves FDA Clearance for Opportunistic Bone Density Assessment on Routine Abdominal CT

Bunkerhill BMD brings opportunistic bone density screening to Carebricks platform, supporting end-to-end follow-up for at-risk patients.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, UNITED STATES, April 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Bunkerhill Health, a leading provider of healthcare AI solutions, announced today it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for Bunkerhill BMD, an AI-powered algorithm that assesses bone density using existing non-contrast abdominal CT scans. The algorithm was developed within Bunkerhill’s research consortium of academic medical centers, with development led by Stanford University’s Dr. Akshay Chaudhari and Louis Blankemeier, PhD.

Bunkerhill BMD enables providers to identify patients with potentially low bone density – a hallmark of osteoporosis and osteopenia – from routine CT scans originally acquired for other clinical purposes. The algorithm flags patients whose estimated bone density suggests a heightened risk, assisting providers in determining who may benefit from further evaluation, monitoring, or treatment.

Low Bone Density: A Silent Epidemic

Osteoporosis affects tens of millions of adults in the U.S., yet most individuals with low bone density remain undiagnosed and untreated. One of the most serious consequences of untreated osteoporosis is hip fracture, which carries a one-year mortality rate as high as 30%.

Despite longstanding clinical guidelines recommending screening for bone loss in older adults, fewer than 25% of eligible women undergo bone density testing—rates are even lower for men. Existing CT scans represent an untapped opportunity to close this gap, helping providers detect bone loss before a life-altering fracture occurs.

“The ability to assess bone health without additional scans, radiation exposure to patients, and cumbersome manual analysis needed from radiologists represents a paradigm shift in how we think about preventative care,” said Dr. Akshay Chaudhari, Assistant Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Data Science at Stanford University and Co-Director of Clinical AI at Stanford Radiology. “This algorithm reflects how academic innovation, when paired with thoughtful product development, can deliver tools that are both impactful and scalable.”

“This clearance shows what is possible when academic research translates into real-world tools,” said Louis Blankemeier, a former PhD student at Stanford University working with Dr. Chaudhari, who led the technical development of Bunkerhill BMD. “We designed this algorithm to turn routine imaging into an opportunity for early intervention—something that could meaningfully improve outcomes for millions of patients at risk for osteoporosis.”

Enabling End-to-End Bone Health Navigation

Bunkerhill BMD is cleared for use in adults aged 30 and above and analyzes spinal bone structures from non-contrast abdominal CT scans. It does not require any additional imaging hardware, calibration phantoms, or radiation exposure. When integrated within Bunkerhill’s Carebricks platform, the algorithm supports end-to-end care navigation — from detection to outreach, care coordination, and follow-up for patients with low bone density.

This latest clearance adds to Bunkerhill’s growing portfolio of opportunistic detection tools, including Bunkerhill iCAC for coronary artery calcification, Bunkerhill AVC for aortic valve calcification, and Bunkerhill CAC (gated) for gated cardiac CT scans.

About Bunkerhill Health

Bunkerhill Health is a pioneering healthcare technology company dedicated to transforming patient care through the power of artificial intelligence. With a focus on developing cutting-edge algorithms and scalable solutions, Bunkerhill Health partners with leading healthcare providers and organizations to address critical challenges in medical imaging, diagnostics, and clinical decision-making. By combining technical excellence with a patient-first mindset, Bunkerhill Health strives to improve outcomes, streamline workflows, and advance the global standard of care. For more information, visit www.bunkerhillhealth.com.

Sean Bennett
Bunkerhill Health
sean@bunkerhillhealth.com
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