title: Tibial quantitative ultrasound versus whole-body and lumbar spine DXA in a Dutch pediatric and adolescent population.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. vanrijn@rond.azr.nl
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: van Rijn
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: van der Sluis
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lequin
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Robben
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: de Muinck Keizer-Schrama
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Kuijk
mesh_terms: 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