Osteopenia in children: CT assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the value of computed tomographic (CT) measurements of cortical bone in children with osteopenia.


METHODS
The area and density of cortical bone in the midshaft of the femur were measured with CT in 37 children with osteopenia. Twenty had osteoporosis in one leg, nine had osteogenesis imperfecta (IO), and eight had vitamin D-resistant rickets. Comparisons were made between the CT measurements of the normal and abnormal extremities and between patients with OI or rickets and a group of 17 healthy, matched children.


RESULTS
Sex, age, height, and weight did not influence cortical bone density; values were similar for the 17 control subjects. Children with osteoporosis and IO had reduced bone area but normal bone density. Compared with control subjects, patients with rickets had similar bone area but reduced bone density (869 mg/cm3 K2HPO4 +/- 79 [standard deviation] vs 1,132 mg/cm3 K2HPO4 +/- 41).


CONCLUSIONS
CT measurements of area and density of cortical bone aided the differentiation of the various disorders that cause osteopenia in children.
Kovanlikaya
A
A
Department of Radiology, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, California 90027, USA.
Loro
M L
ML
Hangartner
T N
TN
Reynolds
R A
RA
Roe
T F
TF
Gilsanz
V
V
D000293:Adolescent; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007015:Hypophosphatemia, Familial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D010013:Osteogenesis Imperfecta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed