[Intl_DxMedPhys] [EXTERNAL] Re: LSC DXA

[Fahrenholtz, Samuel J., Ph.D.]

Hello Nima and World,

Whatever applicable institutional policies or laws should inform your decision, but this is how I helped my institution’s last LSC effort.

The ISCD’s 2023 position states “Precision assessment should be standard clinical practice. Precision assessment is not research and may potentially benefit patients. It should not require approval of an institutional review board. Adherence to local radiologic safety regulations is necessary. Performance of a precision assessment requires the consent of participating patients.”
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://iscd.org/official-positions-2023/__;!!KGKeukY!27j-rgDPj5YQu3mwRWefSYuZIrgFOZx1JF4sOTyosMiolj_aWJ9DSfmO0JxBK3kfgQgbFHKSVauCpgw88q-K_3vSA3UNVlJlHGSo2I0CVtexEaPVcb0$  (Click “Precision Assessment” in left column, or download PDF)

To me, that meant no IRB and verbal patient informed consent. For patients that agreed to be doubly scanned, we had DXA techs send the extra scan to a non-clinical PACS to avoid confusion. The tech made a note in the patient’s EHR that the patient verbally consented to an extra LSC scan for that exam.

We left a laminated page with the following text in the room for the tech to share with patients:

“DXA Precision Assessment Consent
To find out if there has been a change in your bone density, a recent bone density test is compared with a previous test. For an accurate comparison, we must know when the change is greater than the normal day-­to-­day fluctuation. This is done by analyzing repeat bone density measurements of the same person made on the same day. This is called a “precision assessment.”

You have been asked to participate in a precision assessment. If you choose to participate you will undergo your exam one extra time. The added x-­ray exposure involved is less than two days’ worth of normal background.

Participation is up to you. You should not participate if you think you might be pregnant. If you do not wish to participate, it will have no effect on your future treatment or benefits. Please ask your doctor or nurse if you have any questions.”

I hope that helps,

Samuel Fahrenholtz, PhD, DABR
Consultant in Radiology (Diagnostic Physics)
Mayo Clinic Arizona
Assistant Professor Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

From: Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list-bounces at lists.osu.edu> On Behalf Of Bill Erwin via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2025 9:33 AM
To: Nima Kasraie <Nima.Kasraie at utsouthwestern.edu>
Cc: intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: [Intl_DxMedPhys] LSC DXA

External Email Notice: This message was sent by someone outside Mayo Clinic.
Nima, My (possibly incorrect) $0. 02 worth is yes to informed consent, since you are performing an unnecessary repeat exam with additional (albeit relatively very small) radiation exposure from which the participating patient will derive no benefit;
Nima,

My (possibly incorrect) $0.02 worth is yes to informed consent, since you are performing an unnecessary repeat exam with additional (albeit relatively very small) radiation exposure from which the participating patient will derive no benefit; but no to IRB approval, since a DXA LSC study is not investigational (i.e., for research purposes), but for quality improvement of the DXA program.

On Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 6:39 PM Nima Kasraie via Intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list <intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu<mailto:intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list at lists.osu.edu>> wrote:
Shot in the dark here: Are there any state-specific requirements for obtaining informed consent (and IRB approval) for LSC in Texas? (LSC as in Least Significant Change, i. e. a measure of bone mineral density in DXA scans) Nima UT Southwestern
Shot in the dark here:

Are there any state-specific requirements for obtaining informed consent (and IRB approval) for LSC in Texas?

(LSC as in Least Significant Change, i.e. a measure of bone mineral density in DXA scans)



Nima


________________________________

UT Southwestern

Medical Center

The future of medicine, today.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/private/intl_dxmedphys_wd_osu_list/attachments/20251114/f8703c5e/attachment.html>