Tibial quantitative ultrasound versus whole-body and lumbar spine DXA in a Dutch pediatric and adolescent population.
OBJECTIVE
To understand normal bone development, studies in healthy children and adolescents are important. To assess the applicability of tibial quantitative ultrasound measurements (QUS) in children, we performed a study that compared dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the lumbar spine and whole body with tibial QUS.


METHODS
For this study we recruited 146 Dutch children and adolescents, 58 boys (median age, 14.1 years; range, 7.6-23.4 years) and 88 girls (median age, 18.0 years; range, 7.6-23.5 years). Tanner stage, weight, and height were assessed for all participants. Bone mineral density (BMD; g x cm(-2)) of the whole body and lumbar spine (L2-L4) and bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) of the lumbar spine (g x cm(-3)) were assessed by using the Lunar DPXL. For tibial QUS, the Soundscan compact system was used.


RESULTS
Both lumbar as well as whole-body BMD showed a strong, significant correlation with tibial QUS in boys and girls: rtotal body boys = 0.81, rtotal body girls = 0.77, rlumbar spine boys = 0.79, and rlumbar spine girls = 0.72. Lumbar spine BMAD also showed significant correlations with tibial QUS: rboys= 0.63 and rgirls = 0.63 (for all correlations, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showing strong, significant correlations between DXA and tibial QUS measurements suggests that tibial QUS is a technique that may be applicable in children and adolescents.
van Rijn
R R
RR
Department of Radiology, University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. vanrijn@rond.azr.nl
van der Sluis
I M
IM
Lequin
M H
MH
Robben
S G
SG
de Muinck Keizer-Schrama
S M
SM
Hop
W C
WC
van Kuijk
C
C
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015519:Bone Density; D001846:Bone Development; D002648:Child; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography