Peripheral quantitative computed tomography for the detection of diabetic osteopathy: a study in the Goto-Kakizaki rat.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the utility of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) in detecting trabecular and cortical bone changes in diabetes as a model of osteopenia.


METHODS
The tibia from 10 type-2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats and 10 control Wistar rats were analyzed by DEXA, pQCT, and ash weight determination.


RESULTS
DEXA of GK rats showed a significant reduction in mineral content (32%) and density (24%) of the metaphysis, but not of the diaphysis. PQCT disclosed that the reduction of density predominantly pertained to the trabecular bone (reduced by 62%). Periosteal and endosteal circumferences of the diaphyses were increased and cortical thickness was unchanged leading to increased moment of inertia.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that in osteopathic conditions, cortical and trabecular bone should be separately examined within specific subregions to obtain relevant information. Loss of metaphyseal trabecular bone seems to be a predominant feature in diabetic rats. Moreover, there is increased moment of inertia in the diaphysis implying increased strength. These diagnostic features of diabetic osteopathy can only be assessed by pQCT. It may prove that similar changes occur in human type-2 diabetes, which could explain the susceptibility to periarticular fracture and Charcot arthropathy.
Ahmad
Tashfeen
T
Department of Surgical Sciences, Section of Orthopaedics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. tashfeen.ahmad@ks.se
Ohlsson
Claes
C
Ostenson
Claes-Goran
CG
Kreicbergs
Andris
A
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*