title: A comparison of calcaneus ultrasound and dual X-ray absorptiometry in healthy North American youths and young adults.
abstract: Quantitative ultrasound is the newest noninvasive method to be accepted for assessing bone mineral in adults. Heel ultrasound measurements correlate with bone density measurements by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and predict fracture risk in adults. Far less is known about the value of calcaneus ultrasound (CUS) in children. We determine spine, femoral neck, and whole-body bone mineral by DXA and heel bone mass by CUS in 125 youths (69 females, 56 males) ages 9-25 yr. CUS and DXA measurements of bone mass increased with age and pubertal development during adolescence in a parallel fashion. Among females, Tanner stage was a stronger predictor than age for all CUS and DXA measurements, and among males, pubertal stage was a stronger predictor for spine bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) and femoral bone mineral density (BMD). CUS measurements correlated moderately well with DXA measurements of the spine, femoral neck, and whole-body BMD and spine BMAD (r = 0.23-0.58, p < 0. 008). CUS warrants further study as a tool for assessing bone mineral acquisition in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. clum@chmc.org
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lum
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marcus
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Bachrach
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D015519:Bone Density; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011627:Puberty; D012016:Reference Values; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography