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PRESS RELEASE
18 January 2012
AECC Chiropractic College X‐ray technology gets US FDA clearance
The U.S Food and Drug Administration has cleared an exciting piece of new technology which
measures the function of the spine. The technology, which was invented at the Anglo‐European
College of Chiropractic (AECC) in Bournemouth, is already helping patients with difficult back
problems.
Since 1910, surgeons have measured spinal function by taking two X‐rays at the extremes of bending
(flexion and extension) and then measuring the difference in the positions of the vertebrae by
drawing lines on them. The new technology invented at the AECC uses motion X‐rays (fluoroscopy)
and quantifies the whole motion pattern by tracking the bones automatically across hundreds of
frames using computer programs. This gives spinal surgeons much more information with similar
accuracy and X‐ray dosage.
Professor Paul Thompson, Head of Rheumatology at Poole General Hospital and involved with the
AECC’s research said; “The cost of back pain alone to the Health Service within the United Kingdom
has been estimated to be over £3,440 million in indirect costs and £1632 million in direct costs, with
5% of this being spent on imaging. However, X‐rays taken for back pain are mostly reported as
either normal, or having age‐related changes, which tells us very little. To be able to get functional
information that is precisely measured is an important advance.”
The new system, (known in the US as the Kinegraph VMA) is currently in use by spinal surgeons for
clinical studies in seven US hospitals. At the AECC, research is continuing on wider applications such
as informing treatment for back and neck problems and the better fitting of lower limb prostheses
for amputees. Meanwhile, the College’s US commercial partner Ortho Kinematics hopes to market
the Kinegraph VMA to any clinical professional in the US who prescribes flexion‐extension X‐rays.
Ken Vall, Principal and CEO of the AECC said; “We have been working to perfect this technology for
over 20 years, but have always been held up by limitations in X‐ray machines and computer
memory. This is an example of a small UK higher education institution persisting and punching above
its weight in the big world of health technology transfer. We hope that many patients will benefit
from this fundamental improvement in the way spine dysfunction is assessed.”

2. At the AECC clinic, patients with difficult back problems have already benefited from the new
technology. Mechanical aspects of their back or neck pain have been clarified, resulting in more
targeted treatment or avoidance of surgery.
Exciting, new lines of research are in train. The investigation of neck problems, such as whiplash and
the influence of manual treatment on them is a recent addition to the research portfolio. Overall,
the technology will enable groundbreaking research into the fundamentals of musculoskeletal
healthcare – including the ability to test basic assumptions about chiropractic and other clinical care.
Ends
About the Anglo‐European College of Chiropractic
The Anglo‐European College of Chiropractic is one of the world’s leading institutions providing
chiropractic training in a dynamic, state‐of‐the‐art, holistic and multicultural environment.
Our onsite teaching clinic allows interns to receive hands on experience under the close supervision
of our world class faculty. The clinic is one of the largest in Europe, and provides specialist facilities
such as athlete assessment and improvement, sport injury prevention and rehabilitation, diagnostic
ultrasound, nutrition and lifestyle consultation. People are welcome to arrange a free initial
consultation at any time. Our patients receive the best possible quality care, at affordable prices.
IMRCI is a multidisciplinary research unit within AECC. It was founded in 1999 to continue the
College’s outward‐facing musculoskeletal research activities. Although originally broad‐based, it has
gradually become more focussed on clinical biomechanics. This is a result of the recent expansion of
its qualitative fluoroscopy (QF) technology. Two physiotherapy doctoral researchers at
Bournemouth University have been supported as well as two other postgraduates within IMRCI and
another is about to begin.
Note: AECC is an associate college of Bournemouth University
Issued by Anglo­European College of Chiropractic
For more information, contact Prudence Wolfeld on 01202 436340 or pwolfeld@aecc.ac.uk