title: The use of calcaneal quantitative ultrasound for determining bone mass of the hip.
abstract: The calcaneal quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measures heel bone mineral density and predicts hip, vertebral spine, and peripheral fractures at the same odds ratio as dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Its portability, performance ease, and low cost makes it an attractive alternative as a screening device, especially in regions with low incomes and high hip fracture rates. The high hip fracture incidence in our area prompted a pilot study comparing the calcaneal QUS and hip DXA in women We found this technology to be only 58% sensitive and 80% specific when compared to the DXA in detecting hip osteopenia or osteoporosis. Moreover, the calcaneal QUS failed to detect 37% of the women with abnormal DXA values. Further investigation is needed to determine whether supplementing the calcaneal QUS with clinical risk factors and changing the cutoff T-score value would improve the sensitivity and maintain the specificity for determining hip osteopenia and osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston, USA.
authors.forename: Alfred K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Starcher
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Welch
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography