Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry of the hand and wrist--a possible technique to assess skeletal maturation: methodology and data in normal youths.
Ninety five normal Caucasian subjects (51F, 44M) aged from 2 to 25 y were measured at the hand and wrist level with a small DXA system (pDEXA) in order to obtain the normal values of the bone mineral content (BMC), density (BMD) and projected area (A) of carpal (c) and metacarpal (m) bones. BMDc ranged from 0.065 +/- 0.007 g/cm2 to 0.365 +/- 0.035 g/cm2 in females and 0.425 +/- 0.040 g/cm2 in males. It presented a sharp change of increase rate at 15.5 and 17 y of age in girls and boys, respectively. Ac presented the same kind of evolution as BMDc, but had a larger value dispersion. The second metacarpal bone had the highest BMCm value in 85% of females and 90% of males. The sum of BMCmi or Ami values (i = 1-5) and the projected mean density of the 5 metacarpal bones was well correlated with BMCc, Ac and BMDc, respectively (r > 0.90). A volumetric mineral density, dmi, calculated for each of these bones, approximated to a cylinder, was correlated with age (r > 0.85).
Department of Paediatric Radiology, Hospital Debrousse and Creatis, University Claude Bernard, Lyon, France.
P M
PM
Braillon
A L
AL
Guibal
P
P
Pracros-Deffrenne
A
A
Serban
J P
JP
Pracros
P
P
Chatelain
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D002348:Carpal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008663:Metacarpus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*