16 Bit evaluates its osteoporosis system at UHN

TORONTO — Osteoporosis remains one of Canada’s most underdiagnosed and undertreated public health challenges, but a new evaluation study led by Canadian AI company 16 Bit and OBIO, in partnership with University Health Network (UHN), may offer a path forward — using artificial intelligence to transform routine X-rays into early detection opportunities.

As part of this eight-month project conducted by 16 Bit, more than 10,000 patients undergoing routine X-rays at UHN had their images additionally analysed by Rho — 16 Bit’s AI-powered software.

The intent of the project was to opportunistically identify individuals who might be at risk for osteoporosis. Out of more than 7,000 patients flagged by the technology during the project, the 314 suspected to have low bone density were referred for further follow up using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone density scans, where 89.2% were then confirmed to have the disease.

Traditionally, osteoporosis screening relies on DXA, a modality underutilized despite the disease’s prevalence. Rho offers a fundamentally different model: one that detects signs of low bone mineral density during routine care, without any additional scans, no added radiation, and with minimal clinician effort.

With a positive predictive value of 89.2% for disease observed during the evaluation, Rho demonstrates remarkable accuracy. Crucially, its implementation had no negative impact on radiologist workflow — a key factor for adoption in high-volume clinical environments and large hospital centres.

“At 16 Bit, we’re rethinking how we use existing clinical infrastructure to deliver smarter, more sustainable care,” said Dr. Alexander Bilbily (pictured), co-founder and co-CEO of 16 Bit. “Rather than blindly screening based on age, Rho helps identify the right patients for follow-up by extracting meaningful insights from X-rays already being done.

“Our collaboration with UHN and OBIO demonstrates how AI like Rho can shift the system from reactive to proactive care – improving outcomes, preventing fractures, and ultimately making healthcare more sustainable.”

“Within our radiology department, the pilot initiative showed that opportunistic screening can be a valuable part of routine patient care,” said Dr. Rajesh Bhayana, radiologist and radiology AI lead at UHN.

“We are proud to have supported this project through our Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, president and CEO of OBIO. “This is exactly the type of collaborative innovation Ontario needs—one that brings together cutting-edge Canadian AI with frontline clinical impact.”

Rho’s ability to passively capture high-risk patients during routine imaging presents a paradigm shift in how chronic conditions like osteoporosis can be identified—particularly in aging populations. While current national screening rates remain below 25%, opportunistic screening offers a cost-effective method of drastically increasing early diagnosis, enabling intervention before fractures occur.

With successful evaluations like this one, the future of bone health could be a lot more proactive, the company said, and a lot more intelligent.

About 16 Bit
16 Bit is a Canadian medical AI company developing regulatory-cleared software to augment radiologist performance and improve healthcare efficiency. Their flagship product, Rho, enables opportunistic osteoporosis screening using existing x-rays. Rho has been used to screen over 340,000 patients in real-world clinical environments across Canada with expansion underway in the United States, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Brazil. For more information, visit: 16bit.ai.

About University Health Network (UHN)
With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada’s top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education, and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto. For more information, visit: www.uhn.ca.

About OBIO
OBIO, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation and implementation of new solutions using critical technologies through its Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence, supported by the Government of Ontario. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to address the needs of the next generation of companies developing innovative human health products. For more information, visit OBIO.ca.