Learning Center

Learning Center

Vertebral Fracture Recognition

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    • Non-Member - $200
    • Full Member - $100
    • MOC Only - $200
    • Community Member - $200
    • Professional Member - $200

Activity approved for up to 3.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ 
Activity Expires Sept 30, 2026

Activity Description

This advanced densitometry course focuses on how vertebral fracture imaging advances the diagnosis and treatment of patients at risk of osteoporotic fractures. It emphasizes the importance of vertebral fractures in the clinical management of osteoporosis, including recognition of lateral spine images of a normal spine, and other findings that may be confused with vertebral fractures.  Fracture recognition, analysis, and best-practice patient positioning are detailed to ensure ideal image acquisition, interpretation, and reporting.

Target Audience

The content is designed for clinicians and health care providers with an interest in skeletal health assessment, including specialists, generalists, and technologists working in family medicine, general and internal medicine, endocrinology, rheumatology, obstetrics/gynecology, radiology, nuclear medicine, pediatrics, physical and occupational therapy, and research.

Learning Objectives

  1. Summarize best-practice methods utilized to recognize vertebral fractures on lateral spine images.
  2. Describe non-fracture abnormalities that may appear on a spine image.
  3. Identify characteristics of high-quality densitometric lateral spine images.
  4. Identify the appropriate complementary technologies to complete vertebral fracture assessment.
  5. Cite indications for VFA as stated in the ISCD Official Positions.

Method of Participation

After viewing all three videos, you will be asked to evaluate the activity online. You will then be allowed to claim credit and print a certificate. This course offers a non-credit opportunity to attend a live case study and Q&A session with the faculty held quarterly. Once the online portion of the course is completed, you will see the upcoming dates in the Course Access tab to sign up for this optional discussion module.

Joint Accreditation Statement

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In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Amedco LLC and ISCD. Amedco LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

Amedco LLC designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 3.75 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Registration Fees

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Cancellation Policy

On-Demand/ Enduring Material Cancellation
Purchases of on-demand or enduring educational materials are non-refundable.

On-Demand/Enduring Material Program Changes or Cancellations 
ISCD reserves the right to cancel the program, change dates, and/or the location/method of offering. All program fees will be refunded if a program is canceled unless the registered participant elects to transfer to another program.

John Schousboe, MD, PhD, CCD

Director, Park Nicollet Bone Densitometry Center; Consultant Rheumatologist, Park Nicollet Clinic; Research Investigator, HealthPartners Institute

Dr. Schousboe is a rheumatologist and health services researcher who directs the bone densitometry center of Park Nicollet Clinic, a large integrated health care delivery system in Minneapolis, MN. He is a Past President of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) and a Fellow of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). During a 16-year research career he has been an author on 200 peer-reviewed publications, the far majority of which have been in the field of diagnosis and management of osteoporosis. His contributions to science include development of a cost-effectiveness model that was used to conduct studies of the cost-effectiveness of bone densitometry in men and subgroups of older women and men defined by prevalent vertebral fracture, bone turnover marker levels, and bone density level; studies of the accuracy, prevalence, and clinical impact of vertebral fracture recognition on bone density lateral spine images; studies of medication adherence to osteoporosis therapies; studies of the identification and clinical significance of abdominal aortic calcification on lateral bone density spine images; and predictors of health care utilization and costs using Medicare Claims data.

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Statement of Independence

The ISCD maintains a policy on the use of commercial support, which ensures that all educational activities sponsored by the ISCD provide in-depth presentations that are fair, balanced, independent, and scientifically rigorous. ISCD requires faculty, planners, managers, and other individuals and their spouse/life partner who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any real or apparent conflict of interest they may have as related to the content of this activity. All identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly vetted by ISCD for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content, and appropriateness of patient care recommendations. Individual disclosures are included in the course material. No Commercial Support has been provided for this activity

Disclaimer

The information and suggestions presented at the courses, seminars and other programs sponsored by ISCD and other collaborating societies are subject to change and therefore should serve only as a foundation for further investigation and study. Any forms presented at our seminars or programs are samples only and are not necessarily authoritative. All information, procedures, and forms contained or used in such seminars or programs should serve only as a guide for use in specific situations.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use 

This educational activity may contain a discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. ISCD does not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. The opinions expressed in this educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Privacy & Confidentiality Statement

The ISCD will record the learner’s personal information as provided on evaluations to allow for the issuance and tracking of CME/CE certificates. The ISCD may also track aggregate responses to questions in activities and evaluations and use these data to inform the ongoing evaluation and improvement of its educational program. No individual performance data or any other personal information collected for evaluations will be shared with third parties

Attendee Cancellation Policy

All changes in registration must be made in writing to education@iscd.org. Purchase of on-demand or enduring educational materials are non-refundable.

Course Changes or Cancellations

ISCD reserves the right to cancel the program and change the dates of the offering. All program fees will be refunded if a program is canceled unless the registered participant elects to transfer to another program.

VFR Preparation

It is recommended, but not required, that registrants attend the Quality Bone Densitometry Course (for Clinicians or Technologists) before taking the VFR course.

Live Case Study and Q&A

This course offers a non-credit opportunity to attend a live case study and Q&A session with the faculty held quarterly. Once the online portion of the course is completed, you will see the upcoming dates in the Course Access tab to sign up for this optional discussion module.

Key:

Complete
Failed
Available
Locked
Lecture One
Select the "View On-Demand Recording" button to begin.  |  65 minutes
Select the "View On-Demand Recording" button to begin.  |  65 minutes
Lecture Two
Open to view video.  |  60 minutes
Open to view video.  |  60 minutes
Lecture Three
Open to view video.  |  43 minutes
Open to view video.  |  43 minutes
Activity Survey
11 Questions
11 Questions Please complete this brief survey to provide ISCD with feedback on this activity and improve future offerings.
Continuing Education Certificate
Up to 3.75 medical credits available  |  Certificate available
Up to 3.75 medical credits available  |  Certificate available You can only claim one type of credit. Physicians should only claim credit earned based on the time of their participation, to the closest .25 hour.
How To Access Your Certificate
Open to view video.
Open to view video. To access your certificate after the course ends, go to https://my.iscd.org/My-ISCD/My-Learning/ISCD-Education-Credits or by following the instructions in the video.
Live Case Study and Q&A - Select A Date to Attend a Live Discussion. This session is optional, not for credit, and requires completion of all lectures to register.
December 10, 2025, at 6:00 PM (EST) - Live Case Study and Q&A
Select the "Register for December 10 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes
Select the "Register for December 10 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes Please register if you wish to attend the December 10 Live Case Study and Q&A. Sessions will be cancelled if we do not have a minimum number of registrants.
March 21, 2026, at 10:00AM (EST) - Live Case Study and Q&A
Select the "Register for March 21 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes
Select the "Register for March 21 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes Please register if you wish to attend the March 21 Live Case Study and Q&A. Sessions will be cancelled if we do not have a minimum number of registrants.
June 11, 2026, at 6:00 PM (EST) - Live Case Study and Q&A
Select the "Register for June 11 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes
Select the "Register for June 11 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes Please register if you wish to attend the June 11 Live Case Study and Q&A. Sessions will be cancelled if we do not have a minimum number of registrants.
September 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM (EST) - Live Case Study and Q&A
Select the "Register for the Sept 9 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes
Select the "Register for the Sept 9 Session" button to begin.  |  60 minutes Please register if you wish to attend the Sept 9 Live Case Study and Q&A. Sessions will be cancelled if we do not have a minimum number of registrants.