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                                    UNITED STATES
                          SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                                     FORM 10-K/A

                   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF
                         THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1996          Commission File No. 0-26206

                            NORLAND MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE                                                          06-1387931    
(State or other jurisdiction                                   (I.R.S. Employer 
of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

106 CORPORATE PARK DRIVE, SUITE 106, WHITE PLAINS, NY               10604       
    (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)    

         Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (914) 694-2285

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

                                         NONE

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                      COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.0005 PER SHARE

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all
reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes   x   No 
                                                ---     ---

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to
Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained,
to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information
statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any
amendment to this Form 10-K [  ]

         The aggregate market value of the registrant's Common Stock, par value
$0.0005 per share, held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of March 21, 1997
was $23,555,584 based on the price of the last reported sale on the NASDAQ
National Market.

         As of March 21, 1997 there were 7,148,531 shares of the registrant's
Common Stock, par value $0.0005 per share, outstanding.


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    This Form 10-K/A Report amends the Form 10-K Report filed by the Registrant
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 1997 (the "Original
Report"), as amended by Form 10-K/A filed on April 30, 1997.  The purpose of
this amendment is to add Exhibit 27, the Financial Data Schedule, which was
inadvertently omitted from the Original Report.


                                       PART IV


ITEM 14. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K.


(b) Exhibits.  Item 14(b) is amended to add the following Exhibit:

Exhibit
Number        Description
-------       -----------

27            Financial Data Schedule


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                                      SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to its
Annual Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of White Plains, New York, on the 5th day of May, 1997.

                                  NORLAND MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.


                                  By: /s/ Reynald G. Bonmati         
                                     -------------------------------
                                       Name:  Reynald G. Bonmati
                                       Title: President


    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this
Amendment to Annual Report has been signed below by the following persons on
behalf of the Registrant, Norland Medical Systems, Inc., in the capacities and
on the dates indicated.

                                Capacity In
  Signature                     Which Signed                       Date
  ---------                     ------------                       ----

  /s/ Reynald G. Bonmati        Chairman of the Board and          May 5, 1997
  ------------------------      President (Principal Executive
  Reynald G. Bonmati            Officer); and Director

  /s/ Kurt W. Streams           Vice President, Finance            May 5, 1997
  ------------------------      (Principal Financial Officer and
  Kurt W. Streams               Principal Accounting Officer)

            *                   Director                           May 5, 1997
  ------------------------
  James J. Baker

            *                   Director                           May 5, 1997
  ------------------------
   Michael W. Huber

            *                   Director                           May 5, 1997
  ------------------------
   Robert L. Piccioni

            *                   Director                           May 5, 1997
  ------------------------
   Albert S. Waxman



* By:/s/ Kurt W. Streams        
     ---------------------------
     Kurt W. Streams
     Attorney-in-Fact


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