Trabecular bone mineral density measurement in vivo: use of the ratio of coherent to Compton-scattered photons in the calcaneus.
Trabecular bone mineral density (TBMD) was measured in vivo in the calcaneus by a new method that uses the ratio of coherent to Compton-scattered photons arising from irradiation of a small volume of trabecular bone by a gamma ray source with highly collimated geometry. TBMD values for healthy men (22-77 years) were in the range of 180-357 mg/ml, and values for healthy women (18-73 years) were in the range of 160-321 mg/ml. In contrast, values in a small group of paraplegics were in the range of 90-199 mg/ml.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic; D005260:Female; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006365:Heel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation