title: Assessing bone microstructure at the distal radius in children and adolescents using HR-pQCT: a methodological pilot study.
abstract: We examined the use of high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT [XtremeCT; Scanco Medical, Switzerland]) to assess bone microstructure at the distal radius in growing children and adolescents. We examined forearm radiographs from 37 children (age 8-14 yr) to locate the position of the ulnar and radial growth plates. We used HR-pQCT to assess bone microstructure in a region of interest (ROI) at the distal radius that excluded the growth plate (as determined from the radiographs) in all children (n=328; 9-21 yr old). From radiographs, we determined that a ROI in the distal radius at 7% of bone length excluded the radial growth plate in 100% of participants. We present bone microstructure data at the distal radius in children and adolescents. From the HR-pQCT scans, we observed active growth plates in 80 males (aged 9.5-20.7 yr) and 92 females (aged 9.5-20.2 yr). The ulnar plate was visible in 9 male and 17 female participants (aged 11.2 ± 1.9yr). The HR-pQCT scan required 3 min with a relatively low radiation dose (<3 μSv). Images from the radial ROI were free of artifacts and outlined cortical and trabecular bone microstructure. There is currently no standard method for these measures; therefore, these findings provide insight for investigators using HR-pQCT for studies of growing children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, University of British Columbia, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Melonie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burrows
authors.forename: Danmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Angeliki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perdios
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Kishore
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mulpuri
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McKay
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015519:Bone Density; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011884:Radius / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014457:Ulna / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000254:growth & development