FAQ

Bone mineral density (BMD) is only one component of bone strength and therefore only partially predicts bone fragility.

To address this limitation, the Fragility Score (FS) was developed: a patented parameter that evaluates bone microstructural characteristics independently of BMD. It is based on the assumption that a more fragile bone structure exhibits microstructural features that differ from those of a more resilient bone structure, and that these differences are reflected in the ultrasound signal spectrum.

The FS is a dimensionless value ranging from 0 to 100 and is obtained by comparing the spectra acquired from the examined oatient with reference spectral models derived from subjects who have either previously experienced an osteoporotic fracture or have not.

La presenza di osteofiti sulla struttura vertebrale non rappresenta una criticità per la tecnologia REMS.

The presence of osteophytes in the vertebral structure does not represent a critical limitation for REMS technology. This is largely attributable to REMS’s capability to analyze each individual ultrasound signal along every scan line, enabling the system to identify signals arising from artifacts (e.g., calcifications, osteophytes) as distinct from the expected bone-derived signal and to exclude them from the analysis.

Consequently, the software automatically discards the portion of the vertebra affected by osteophytes from the BMD calculation, thereby preventing potential diagnostic bias, such as an overestimation of bone mineral density.

REMS scans last 40 seconds at the femoral site and 80 seconds at the lumbar site, respectively. During this time, several thousand ultrasound signals are acquired from the skeletal site being examined.

At the end of the acquisition phase, the collected signals are automatically processed and analyzed by the software, which, once the process is complete, automatically generates the patient’s final report.

The entire analysis and reporting process is completed within a few minutes.

REMS technology is considered safe as it is based on the use of ultrasound and is therefore free from ionizing radiation.

In pregnant women, the REMS examination is performed exclusively at the femoral site in order to obtain information on maternal skeletal status while ensuring maximum procedural safety.

Evaluation of the proximal femur allows the analysis of an anatomical district distant from the abdomen and, consequently, from the fetus, effectively discarding any potential risk to their health.

Clinical validation in pregnant women has been published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 263 (2021) 44–49 by Degennaro et al., and in Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 36, 31 (2024) by Ramirez Zegarra et al. In these studies, REMS was used to assess bone mineral density in pregnant women, confirming its feasibility and safety profile in this specific clinical setting.