Influence of anthropometric parameters and bone size on bone mineral density using volumetric quantitative computed tomography and dual X-ray absorptiometry at the hip.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of anthropometric parameters (age, height, and weight) and bone size on bone mineral density (BMD) using volumetric quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a group of elderly women.


METHODS
BMD values were obtained with DXA and QCT at the spine and hip in a cohort of 84 elderly women (mean age 73 +/- 6 years). QCT measures included trabecular, integral, and cortical BMD assessed at the hip and spine as well as cross-sectional areas of the mid-vertebrae and proximal femora. Spinal integral and femoral neck BMD measures were well matched to the regions of bone quantified on anteroposterior (AP) spine DXA and the femoral neck region of hip DXA.


RESULTS
When QCT parameters were linearly regressed against body height and weight, only the relationships with weight were found to be statistically significant. Except for cortical BMD at the femoral neck, all BMD and geometric parameters measured from both DXA and QCT showed statistically significant associations with body weight (r2 = 0.4, 0.0001 < P < 0.02). The strongest associations with weight were found for DXA Neck (DXA_NECK) and DXA lumbar spine (DXA_LSP) (r2 = 0.4, P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The relationship of DXA BMD is stronger than QCT BMD with body weight and it encompasses the response of both bone size and density to increasing body mass.
Guglielmi
G
G
Department of Radiology and Division of Endocrinology, Scientific Institute Hospital "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza", San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. guglielmi_g@hotmail.com
van Kuijk
C
C
Li
J
J
Meta
M D
MD
Scillitani
A
A
Lang
T F
TF
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D000886:Anthropometry; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000473:pathology; D013131:Spine / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*