title: Bone densitometry in infants.
abstract: Bone mineral mass and density can be measured noninvasively by various absorptiometric procedures. Two methods, dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) and quantitative computed tomography, have widespread application in adults but only limited use in children. One method, single-photon absorptiometry (SPA), has been used extensively in adults and children and has been modified for use in infants. The radius shaft has been used for most research on infants. However, the difficulty of using older SPA methods on this small bone (4 to 7 mm width) has led a few investigators to measure the shaft of the humerus. The typical precision of measurement in a newborn is about 5% with the use of computerized rectilinear scanners for the radius; older linear scanners have a precision error of 5% to 10% on the humerus. Linear scanners cannot measure precisely the radius in individual neonates. The SPA scans typically take about 5 minutes. The DPA technique using 153Gd has been modified for use on smaller animals (5 to 10 kg monkeys and dogs), but it has not been used on infants because DPA scans take 20 minutes. New methods using x-ray absorptiometry allow rapid (1 minute), precise (1%) measurements in the perinate. The need for a soft tissue bolus is eliminated, and both the axial and peripheral skeletons can be measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Ultrasonic measurements do not yet offer adequate precision in the neonate, given the limited biologic range of values.
authors.affiliation: Lunar Radiation Corporation, Madison, Wisconsin, 53713-2698.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Barden
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mazess
mesh_terms: D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000032:analysis*; D003720:Densitometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals