CT image-based biomarkers acquired by AI-based algorithms for the opportunistic prediction of falls

Abstract

Objective Evaluate whether biomarkers measured by automated artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms are suggestive of future fall risk. Methods In this retrospective age- and sex-matched case–control study, 9029 total patients underwent initial abdominal CT for a variety of indications over a 20-year interval at one institution. 3535 case patients (mean age at initial CT, 66.5 ± 9.6 years; 63.4% female) who went on to fall (mean interval to fall, 6.5 years) and 5494 controls (mean age at initial CT, 66.7 ± 9.8 years; 63.4% females; mean follow-up interval, 6.6 years) were included. Falls were identified by electronic health record review. Validated and fully automated quantitative CT algorithms for skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and trabecular bone attenuation at the level of L1 were applied to all scans. Uni- and multivariate assessment included hazard ratios (HRs) and area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve. Results Fall HRs (with 95% CI) for low muscle Hounsfield unit, high total adipose area, and low bone Hounsfield unit were 1.82 (1.65–2.00), 1.31 (1.19–1.44) and 1.91 (1.74–2.11), respectively, and the 10-year AUROC values for predicting falls were 0.619, 0.556, and 0.639, respectively. Combining all these CT biomarkers further improved the predictive value, including 10-year AUROC of 0.657. Conclusion Automated abdominal CT-based opportunistic measures of muscle, fat, and bone offer a novel approach to risk stratification for future falls, potentially by identifying patients with osteosarcopenic obesity. Advances in knowledge There are few well-established clinical tools to predict falls. We use novel AI-based body composition algorithms to leverage incidental CT data to help determine a patient’s future fall risk.