The cortical thickness of the proximal humeral diaphysis predicts bone mineral density of the proximal humerus.
The operative treatment of fractures of the proximal humerus can be complicated by poor bone quality. Our aim was to evaluate a new method which allows prediction of the bone quality of the proximal humerus from radiographs. Anteroposterior radiographs were taken of 19 human cadaver humeri. The cortical thickness was measured at two levels of the proximal humeral diaphysis. The bone mineral density (BMD) was determined for the humeral head (HH), the surgical neck (SN), the greater tuberosity (GT) and lesser tuberosity (LT) using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The mean cortical thickness was 4.4 +/- 1.0 mm. Specimens aged 70 years or less had a significantly higher cortical thickness than those aged over 70 years. A significant positive correlation was found between cortical thickness and the BMD for each region of interest. The cortical thickness of the proximal diaphysis is a reliable predictor of the bone quality of the proximal humerus.
Tingart
Markus J
MJ
Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Apreleva
Maria
M
von Stechow
Dietrich
D
Zurakowski
David
D
Warner
Jon J
JJ
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D018483:Diaphyses / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed