title: [Bone mass in males. A comparison between dual-photon densitometry of the lumbar spine and the whole body].
abstract: In order to evaluate the validity of a new method for measuring the whole body mineral content in diagnosing senile osteoporosis we studied 3 groups of male subjects: the first one composed by 40 young healthy subjects (mean age 24.7 years), the second composed by 40 normal patients (mean age 51.3 years); the 3rd group consisted of 26 elderly patients affected with typical osteoporotic fractures (mean age 77 years). All of them underwent a measurement of the spine as well as whole body mineral content performed with a dual photon absorptiometer. The measurements showed a decreasing in mineral content in the second versus the first group but a high correlation coefficient between spine and WB measurements characterized both groups; a striking decrease of it (r = 0.22) was found in the 3rd group. The relative unreliability of the spine measurement in elderly is probably due to the age-linked anatomical alteration. We therefore conclude that WB measurement must be considered the method of choice for the detection of senile osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Patologia e Clinica dell'Apparato Locomotore, Clinica Ortopedica I dell'Università degli Studi di Milano.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parrini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallazzi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verdoia
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013511:Minor Surgical Procedures; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D013177:Sports
vernacular_title: La massa ossea nei maschi. Confronto tra densitometria a doppio raggio fotonico della colonna lombare e whole body.