Dr Egon Perilli, Senior Research Fellow with Flinders University and member of the Medical Device Research Institute, was invited to morning tea with Her Royal Highness Camilla Parker-Bowles on Wednesday 7 November. At the Osteoporosis Australia reception held at the Victorian Government House in Melbourne, Camilla Parker-Bowles, president of the National Osteoporosis Society charity in UK, spoke of her commitment towards raising awareness on osteoporosis as a disease and burden for our society.

Dr Perilli received the invitation due to his research into osteoporosis and a recent research project with Osteoporosis Australia, in collaboration with Austin Health, University of Melbourne. Bone loss is accelerated after mid-life, potentially leading to osteoporosis. The diagnostic criterion for ‘osteoporosis’ is based on a measure of areal Bone Mineral Density, however this measurement lacks sensitivity and specificity in predicting fracture risk. Better prediction of fracture risk could reduce the pain and suffering for the patients and for their families. By more correctly identify persons who need treatment and those who don’t we could significantly reduce the costs to the medical system. Dr Perilli’s research will examine a unique new method of measuring how the bone is put together and how weakness of the bone occurs. This involves measures of bone microstructure on the patient, by using High Resolution peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography.