title: Changes in the structural and material properties of the tibia in patients with spinal cord injury.
abstract: METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure the change of structural and material properties at different sites of the tibia in spinal cord-injured patients using peripheral quantitative computerised tomography (pQCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Orthopaedic research centre (UK).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one subjects were measured--eight with acute spinal cord injury (SCI), nine with chronic SCI and fourteen able-bodied controls. pQCT scans were performed at 2% (proximal), 34% (diaphyseal) and 96% (distal) along the tibia from the tibial plateau. Structural measures of bone were calculated, and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) was also measured at all three levels. Muscle cross-sectional area was measured at the diaphyseal level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structurally, there were changes in the cortical bone; in the diaphysis, the shape of the cross-section changed to offer less resistance to AP bending, and the cross-sectional area of the cortical shell decreased both proximally and distally. There were corresponding changes in vBMD in the anterior aspect of the cortical diaphysis, as well as proximal and distal trabecular bone. Changes in muscle occurred more rapidly than changes in bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were clear changes of both structure and material at all three levels of the tibia in chronic SCI patients. These changes were consistent with specific adaptations to reduced local mechanical loading conditions. To assess fracture risk in SCI and also to monitor the effect of therapeutic interventions, the structure of the bone should be considered in addition to trabecular bone mineral density.
authors: UCL Institute of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science, Stanmore, UK. i.mccarthy@ucl.ac.uk
authors: I D
authors: ID
authors: McCarthy
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Bloomer
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Gall
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Keen
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Ferguson-Pell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011859:Radiography; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult