Mandible and maxilla bone mineral density and threshold analysis studies by pQCT in two edentulous women receiving pamidronate.
The mandible and maxilla of two edentulous women, treated during 25 weeks with oral pamidronate, were monitored by peripheral quantitative tomography (pQCT). Whole bone volumetric mineral density failed to show meaningful variations after treatment. However, an analysis of separated cortical and medullar areas disclosed focal bone loss at the right mandible cortex of patient #1 and at the left maxilla cortex of patient #2. These and other bone sub-regions were further studied by clustering the internal sites with a different degree of bone mineral density, resorting to the mineral threshold analysis provided by the system. Where bone loss was detected, it corresponded to increased loss of the most osteopenic sites, while medium and high-density portions tended to remain unchanged within the region. There were no significant variations in all other regions, or alternatively, minor losses at osteopenic sites were compensated by an increase at high-density portions. Hence, the pQCT system allowed monitoring volumetric bone mineral density at particular sites of interest, discriminating variations at portions with a dissimilar degree of bone volume. Further studies should confirm whether pamidronate exerts a protective effect on sub-regions with previous medium and high degrees of bone mineralization, as suggested by our present findings.
Group for the Study of Maxilla Osteology (GOM), Institute of Metabolic Research, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Victor E
VE
Montangero
Ricardo
R
Capiglioni
Emilio J A
EJ
Roldán
D018488:Bone Demineralization, Pathologic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077268:Pamidronate; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D004164:Diphosphonates; D000077268:Pamidronate