title: Noncontrast cardiac computed tomography image-based vertebral bone mineral density: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cardiac computer tomography (CT) image-based vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) assessment and the influence of cardiovascular disease risk factors on BMD have not been systematically evaluated, especially in a community-based, multiethnic population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study design is used to determine if cardiac CT image is a reliable source to assess vertebral BMD, and a total of 2028 CT images were obtained from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a large, diverse US cohort of adults 45 to 84 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiac CT image allows the rapid assessment of vertebral BMD and related fractures. The mean BMD was significantly higher in men compared with women for thoracic vertebrae (143.2 ± 41.2 vs 138.7 ± 42.7 mg/cm³, respectively, P = .014), as well as for lumbar vertebrae (125.0 ± 37.9 vs 117.2 ± 39.4 mg/cm³, respectively, P < .0001). Thoracic and lumbar BMDs are closely correlated (correlation coefficient 0.87, P < .001), independent of age and other confounders including sex and race. African American men had the highest thoracic BMD among all race/ethnicity and sex subgroups. Prevalence of fractures in total vertebrae is 4.2%. Lumbar had approximately 2 times higher prevalence of fracture than thoracic, and the prevalence of vertebral fractures is 1.5% and 3.1% for thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using cardiac CT images to garner and assess vertebral BMD is a feasible and reliable method. Cardiac CT has the additional advantages of evaluate vertebral bone health while assessing cardiovascular disease risk with no extra cost or radiation exposure.
authors.affiliation: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA, 1124 W Carson St, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Song Shou
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khazai
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hyder
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McClelland
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: J Jeffrey
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Criqui
authors.forename: Yanlin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Budoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*