Carestream Molecular Imaging, a division of Carestream Health, has released a new software module that allows users to perform bone mineral density analysis of small animals and in vitro specimens using multi-energy digital x-ray imaging.

The software is designed for applications ranging from the study of diseases of the bone, such as arthritis and osteoporosis, to the efficacy of drugs and other treatment options that may affect bone mineral and other densities, according to the Nice, France-based company.

As a component of the company’s Kodak molecular imaging software, Carestream said that the new module uses a cylindrical modeling method to calculate the bone column density of selected long bones such as the tibia, fibula, metatarsals and phalanges in small animals. The system utilizes ‘soft’ x-rays and provides the high resolution required for repeatedly measuring specific segments of single long bones.