In vitro study of the accuracy of bone mineral measuring devices in Norway and Sweden.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate the performance of +different types of equipment for bone mineral assessment in Sweden and Norway with standardised phantoms.


METHODS
Measurements of the bone mineral content of 2 semianthropomorphic phantoms, one simulating the human torso and one the lower arm, at 21 hospitals in Norway and Sweden, were undertaken. The phantoms had inserts of hydroxyapatite in different concentrations and were measured together with additions of stearic acid simulating fat. The phantoms were repeatedly measured on 14 dual X-ray absorptiometry, 5 single X-ray absorptiometry, and 3 single photon absorptiometry devices and 1 quantitative CT device.


RESULTS
The measurements showed a large spread in the measured hydroxyapatite concentrations among different devices. The inaccuracy was slightly lower than 10% without fat present when the results were expressed as bone mineral areal mass (BMA, g/cm2). With fat included the inaccuracy was at worst 50%.


CONCLUSIONS
The large inaccuracy found in this study gives rise to a large overlap between healthy and osteoporotic cases and make the diagnosis of osteoporosis difficult in the individual patient.
Kullenberg
R J
RJ
Department of Radiology, County Hospital, Halmstad, Sweden.
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D009664:Norway; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013548:Sweden; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed