CT age represents a measure derived from medical imaging, particularly computed tomography (CT) scans, that estimates an individual’s biological age. This assessment offers insight into the actual condition of their organs and tissues, reflecting the body’s internal aging process. This measurement is distinct from chronological age, providing a more personalized perspective on health trajectory.
How CT Age is Determined
Determining CT age involves analyzing specific features within medical images. These analyses look for biomarkers related to aging, including tissue density, calcification in blood vessels, or organ volumes. Advanced algorithms, often powered by artificial intelligence, interpret these imaging characteristics. These algorithms compare observed features in an individual’s scan to reference databases containing data from people of various chronological ages.
This comparison allows algorithms to derive an estimated CT age, reflecting the biological state of scanned tissues and organs. For instance, the fusion of the xiphisternal joint can be examined in CT chest scans for age estimation, with 95% of individuals showing complete fusion by age 37. Similarly, deep learning models trained on chest CT scans have achieved a mean absolute error of 1.84 years when comparing estimated CT age with chronological age, indicating a high level of accuracy in this determination.
What CT Age Indicates About Health
CT age indicates biological aging, reflecting the cumulative impact of lifestyle, genetic predispositions, and environmental exposures. A CT age that is higher than chronological age suggests accelerated aging and increased susceptibility to age-related conditions. Conversely, a lower CT age can indicate a healthier biological profile, suggesting a slower rate of biological aging.
This measure can identify elevated risks for various age-related diseases. For example, a higher CT age has been associated with an increased relative risk for lung cancer, suggesting it could be a more accurate predictor than chronological age alone. Differences between predicted CT age and chronological age in brain imaging can also indicate pathologies such as neurodegenerative diseases, schizophrenia, or diabetes.
CT Age Versus Chronological Age
Chronological age is a fixed number representing years since birth, used for identity documents and societal milestones. In contrast, CT age is a dynamic measure providing insights into the body’s actual biological condition and varying based on health status. While chronological age simply marks the passage of time, CT age offers a more comprehensive view of the body’s internal state.
This distinction is important because CT age can provide more personalized insights into true biological health and future disease risk than chronological age alone. For instance, a person with a chronological age of 60 might have a CT age of 70, suggesting a higher biological risk for age-related conditions. Lifestyle interventions, such as diet, exercise, and stress management, can influence CT age, offering a pathway to improve overall health and potentially slow down the biological aging process.