Nakagawa Y, Komaba H, Hamano N, et al. - Researchers investigated if fracture risk could be predicted by metacarpal bone mineral density assessed by digital image processing, a computer-assisted radiographic absorptiometry technique, in a historical cohort comprising 456 maintenance hemodialysis patients. A significantly lower metacarpal bone mineral density T-score was identified in patients who sustained a clinical fracture vs in those remaining event-free. A significant link of reducing metacarpal bone mineral density T-score with increased risk of clinical fracture was observed. Similar links were noted between metacarpal bone mineral density T-score and vertebral fracture or any fracture. The findings were robust to distinct analysis strategies and were identified to be consistent across distinct subgroups. Therefore, the likely usefulness of radiographic absorptiometry was suggested as a tool for primary screening of hemodialysis patients carrying a high risk for fracture.