Aclarion Announces New Real-World Publication: Nociscan® Validated by Strong Agreement with Discography in Diagnosing Painful Lumbar Discs

The study compared Nociscan with an invasive reference test, but its authors noted the limited sample size.

Rhea-AI Summary

Aclarion (ACON) announced a peer-reviewed study comparing its noninvasive Nociscan test with discography for identifying painful lumbar discs.

The London Spine Clinic study, published in the European Spine Journal, evaluated 20 consecutive patients and 55 lumbar discs. Agreement with discography reached up to 87% of discs under a moderate threshold. At the study site, a three-disc Nociscan exam cost approximately £2,040, versus roughly £2,775 for an equivalent discogram. The authors noted that Nociscan patients avoided two days of missed work associated with pain flare-ups after discography. They acknowledged the limited sample size and said larger, multi-center studies are being organized.

Positive

• Minor pointNociscan agreement with discography reached up to 87% of discs under a moderate threshold.
• Minor pointThree-disc Nociscan exams cost approximately £2,040 at the study site, versus roughly £2,775 for equivalent discograms.
• Minor pointNociscan patients avoided two days of missed work associated with post-discography pain flare-ups, the authors noted.
• Minor point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Larger, multi-center studies are being organized to build on the findings, the authors said.

Negative

• Minor pointThe study's limited sample size comprised 20 consecutive patients and 55 lumbar discs.

Key Figures

Study participants: 20 consecutive patients Lumbar discs evaluated: 55 lumbar discs Agreement with discography: Up to 87% +1 more

Study participants

20 consecutive patients

Patients evaluated for surgical treatment

Lumbar discs evaluated

55 lumbar discs

Study comparison of Nociscan and discography

Agreement with discography

Up to 87%

Under a moderate threshold

Work missed after discography

2 days

Work missed due to pain flare-ups, which Nociscan patients avoided

Key Terms

discography, mr spectroscopy, discogenic pain, biomarkers

4 terms

discography medical

"Nociscan against low-pressure provocative discography (PD)"

A discography is a compiled list of a musical artist's or group's recorded releases, typically organized chronologically and including albums, EPs, singles, compilations and sometimes notable guest appearances or collaborations. It usually records basic details for each release—title, release date, format and record label—and can be presented as a complete catalogue or a selected/partial listing depending on the source.

mr spectroscopy technical

"MR Spectroscopy in the Diagnosis of Lumbar Discogenic Pain"

MR spectroscopy is a scientific technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to analyze the chemical composition of materials, including biological tissues. It helps researchers identify and measure the presence of different molecules, providing insights into health, disease, or material properties. For investors, understanding MR spectroscopy can be important when evaluating innovations in medical technology or pharmaceutical developments that may impact healthcare markets.

discogenic pain medical

"MR Spectroscopy in the Diagnosis of Lumbar Discogenic Pain"

Pain caused by pathology in an intervertebral disc, most often the degeneration, fissuring, or internal disruption of a spinal disc that irritates pain-sensitive nerve endings within the disc itself; it typically presents as axial back or neck pain that may radiate but is distinct from radicular pain caused by nerve root compression. Diagnosis is based on clinical assessment plus imaging and sometimes provocative testing (e.g., discography), but imaging findings do not always correlate perfectly with symptoms and other spinal or nonspinal sources of pain must be excluded.

biomarkers medical

"Nociscan objectively quantifies chemical biomarkers"

Biomarkers are measurable indicators found in the body, such as substances in blood or tissues, that reveal information about health or disease. For investors, they can signal how well a medical treatment is working or whether a disease is developing, helping to assess the potential success or risks of healthcare companies or innovations. Think of biomarkers as biological signals that provide clues about a person’s health status.

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• Study conducted at London Spine Clinic found Nociscan's noninvasive scan successfully identified painful discs, agreeing with discography, the invasive gold standard, in up to 87% of cases
• Nociscan also spared patients the needles, added cost, and recovery time that is often associated with discography
• Authors conclude Nociscan “may, in time, replace provocative lumbar discography” in appropriately selected patients
• Bolsters the case for physician adoption and payor support for Nociscan

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Oct. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aclarion, Inc., (“Aclarion” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ACON, ACONW), a healthcare technology company that is leveraging biomarkers and proprietary augmented intelligence (AI) algorithms to help physicians identify the location of chronic low back pain, today announced the publication of a new, independent, peer-reviewed study, “MR Spectroscopy in the Diagnosis of Lumbar Discogenic Pain” in the European Spine Journal (ESJ). The study adds real-world validation to a growing body of clinical evidence supporting Nociscan.

Conducted by the London Spine Clinic, the study evaluated Nociscan against low-pressure provocative discography (PD), the invasive procedure long considered the reference standard for identifying painful discs. During a discography procedure, a doctor inserts a needle into a spinal disc and injects fluid to see whether it reproduces a patient's pain before recommending spine surgery for chronic low back pain. The needle punctures into the spine can flare a patient's pain for days, and its accuracy has been debated in the medical literature because results depend on the patient's own report of pain during the discography procedure.

The study compared the non-invasive Nociscan to discography in twenty consecutive patients being evaluated for surgical treatment, across 55 lumbar discs. Nociscan findings successfully identified painful discs, agreeing with discography in up to 87% of discs under a moderate threshold.

“After more than three decades performing discography, I've seen firsthand how much this invasive procedure asks of patients, and how it may not always give us the answer,” said Dr. John Sutcliffe, consultant spinal neurosurgeon and lead clinician at the London Spine Clinic, and lead author of the study. “In our own clinic, we found that Nociscan tracked closely with what we saw on discography, at a lower cost, no added pain and no added risk to the patient. That's a meaningful step toward giving surgeons a reliable, noninvasive tool for identifying which disc is actually causing a patient's pain.”

“Discography has been the default test for diagnosing painful discs for more than half a century, even though it is invasive, subjective, and its own reliability has been called into question in the literature,” said Ryan Bond, Chief Strategy Officer of Aclarion. “Nociscan is designed to be a more patient-friendly test with more consistent and more objective results than a test that relies on a patient’s subjective response to pain. An agreement rate of up to 87% with an imperfect reference standard is a strong signal and exactly the kind of independent, real-world evidence that builds the case for physician adoption and payor support for Nociscan.”

The study also pointed to a clear cost and recovery-time advantage for Nociscan. At the study site, a three-disc Nociscan exam costs approximately £2,040, versus roughly £2,775 for an equivalent discogram. Moreover, the authors noted that Nociscan patients avoided the two days of work missed due to pain flare-ups that often follow discography.

The authors, who noted the study's limited sample size, said larger, multi-center studies are being organized to build on the findings, and concluded that MRS “may, in time, with further data and deeper understanding, replace provocative lumbar discography” in appropriately selected patients.

Chronic low back pain is a global healthcare problem with approximately 266 million people worldwide suffering from degenerative spine disease and low back pain. Aclarion’s Nociscan solution is the first evidence-supported SaaS platform to noninvasively help physicians distinguish between painful and nonpainful discs in the lumbar spine. Nociscan objectively quantifies chemical biomarkers demonstrated to be associated with disc pain. When used with other diagnostic tools, Nociscan provides critical insights into the location of a patient’s low back pain and demonstrates a 97% surgical success rate when all Nociscan-positive discs are treated.

To find a Nociscan center, view our site map here.

For more information on Nociscan, please email: info@aclarion.com

All organizations cited and/or quotes from individuals not part of Aclarion have reviewed and approved the contents herein.

About Aclarion, Inc.

Aclarion is a healthcare technology company that leverages Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (“MRS”), proprietary signal processing techniques, biomarkers, and augmented intelligence algorithms to optimize clinical treatments. The Company is first addressing the chronic low back pain market with Nociscan, the first, evidence-supported, SaaS platform to noninvasively help physicians distinguish between painful and nonpainful discs in the lumbar spine. Through a cloud connection, Nociscan receives magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data from an MRI machine for each lumbar disc being evaluated. In the cloud, proprietary signal processing techniques extract and quantify chemical biomarkers demonstrated to be associated with disc pain. Biomarker data is entered into proprietary algorithms to indicate if a disc may be a source of pain. When used with other diagnostic tools, Nociscan provides critical insights into the location of a patient’s low back pain, giving physicians clarity to optimize treatment strategies.  For more information, please visit www.aclarion.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 about the Company’s current expectations about future results, performance, prospects and opportunities. Statements that are not historical facts, such as “anticipates,” “believes” and “expects” or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of management and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect the Company’s current plans and expectations, as well as future results of operations and financial condition.  Forward-looking statements in this release include, among others, statements regarding that multi-center studies are being organized to build on the findings, and concluded that MRS “may, in time, with further data and deeper understanding, replace provocative lumbar discography” in appropriately selected patients and that evidence like this will be central to expanding physician adoption and payor support for Nociscan on both sides of the Atlantic. These and other risks and uncertainties are discussed more fully in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are encouraged to review the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, as well as other disclosures contained in the Prospectus and subsequent filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Investor Contacts:

Kirin M. Smith
PCG Advisory, Inc.
ksmith@pcgadvisory.com

Media Contacts:

Jennie Kim
SPRIG Consulting
jennie@sprigconsulting.com

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did the Aclarion Nociscan study find about agreement with discography?

Nociscan agreed with discography in up to 87% of discs under a moderate threshold. The London Spine Clinic study compared the tests across 55 lumbar discs in 20 consecutive patients being evaluated for surgical treatment.

Does the Aclarion Nociscan study conclude that it can replace discography?

The authors described replacement as a future possibility, not an established conclusion. They said magnetic resonance spectroscopy “may, in time” replace provocative lumbar discography in appropriately selected patients, with further data and deeper understanding.