Predicting if a woman has a high possibility of developing osteoporosis could be done with a simple ultrasound exam of the heel, a multicenter study has revealed.

Better selection of which women need further bone density testing, such as a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) exam, could be achieved with radiation-free ultrasound of the heel, taking into account risk factors such as age or recent falls.

The researchers found that 6.1 per cent of women identified as higher risk by the ultrasound test went on to develop fractures, compared to just 1.8 per cent of lower risk women.

The study's lead author, Dr Idris Guessous, believes this illustrates both the threat of osteoporosis and the new treatment's worth, stating "a simple prediction rule might be a useful clinical tool for healthcare providers to optimize osteoporosis screening".

"The incidence of osteoporosis will outpace economic resources, and the development of strategies to better identify women who need to be tested is crucial," he added.

Around ten million Americans currently have osteoporosis and 80 per cent of those affected are women, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.