title: Assessment of forearm volumetric bone mineral density from standard areal densitometry data.
abstract: The common bone density measurement procedures produce areal bone mineral density data (BMD) alone. Volumetric bone density is thought to offer a different diagnostic perspective and is usually measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. We developed a calculation procedure for radial and ulnar volumetric densities based on single X-ray absorptiometry. The study consisted of 418 healthy Bulgarian females (ages 20 83 yr). Forearm bone density was measured on a DTX-100 densitometer at the 8-mm distal site, and the total volumetric bone densities of radius and ulna were calculated. The accuracy error determined on cadaveric bones was 10 14%. The in vivo precision error was 1.0 1.1%. Age-matched reference curves for volumetric BMD (vBMD) were built. Peak values were registered in the age 30 34 group: 0.403 (radius) and 0.469 g/cm(3) (ulna). Ulnar volumetric density exceeded the radial one, representing an interesting finding to be further investigated. For the age 70 74 group, vBMD was reduced by approx 30% compared with the age 30 34 group. Our data confirmed the fact that volumetric density was much less affected by age and menopause. Correlations between forearm vBMD and axial BMD were moderate. The proposed calculation procedure could become an extra option in forearm bone densitometry to be applied in pediatric populations or adults of extremely large or small body size.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Clinic, Alexandrov's University Hospital, Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria. boyanov@sun.medun.acad.bg
authors.forename: Mihail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boyanov
authors.forename: Plamen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papivanov
authors.forename: Gentcho
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gentchev
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D011884:Radius / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014457:Ulna / Q000502:physiology*