Comparison of bone mineral parameter measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry with bone stiffness measurements as indicators of the load-bearing capacity of regenerating bone.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare bone mineral density and content measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry with bone stiffness measurements as indicators of the load-bearing capacity of regenerating bone during distraction osteogenesis.


METHODS
The study analyzed ex vivo a set of 26 sheep bone specimens after distraction osteogenesis. Bone mineral density and bone mineral content were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Biomechanical parameters such as torsional, compressive, and bending stiffness were determined using a material testing system. The maximum torsional moment applied at fracture is used to determine the load-bearing capacity of the bone.


RESULTS
The correlation between stiffness measurements and the load-bearing capacity of a bone is significantly greater than the correlation between load-bearing capacity and bone mineral density and content measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this ex vivo study indicate that stiffness measurements are a better quantitative indicator of the load-bearing capacity of a bone and thus of bone healing than bone mineral density and content measurements by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The results of the current study do not confirm previous work that showed that there is a significant correlation between bone material quality obtained by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and bone strength.
Floerkemeier
Thilo
T
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. Thilo.Floerkemeier@annastift.de
Wellmann
Mathias
M
Thorey
Fritz
F
Hurschler
Christof
C
Witte
Frank
F
Windhagen
Henning
H
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction; D018583:Pliability / Q000502:physiology*; D012756:Sheep; D016474:Weight-Bearing