title: [Quantitative ultrasound bone measurements].
abstract: Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) bone measurement is a relatively new technique for the diagnosis of osteoporosis which is cheaper and easier to use than the more established method of bone densitometry (measurement of bone mineral density, BMD) by x-ray absorptiometry. The two QUS parameters currently measured are BUA (broadband ultrasound attenuation) and SOS (speed of sound). The reported age related changes for healthy women range from -0.27% to -1.62% per year for BUA and from -0.06% to -0.19% per year for SOS. Precision ranges from 1.0-3.8% (CV) for BUA and 0.19-0.30% (CV) for SOS. QUS is believed to reflect mainly BMD. However, studies indicate that QUS also reflects trabecular orientation and other determinants of bone strength independently of BMD. In both cross sectional and prospective studies, QUS seems to be as good a predictor of osteoporotic fractures as BMD.
authors.affiliation: Center for Basic and Clinical Research, Ballerup.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Prins
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hassager
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography