title: Microstructural, densitometric and metabolic variations in bones from rats with normal or altered skeletal states.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High resolution μCT, and combined μPET/CT have emerged as non-invasive techniques to enhance or even replace dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the current preferred approach for fragility fracture risk assessment. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of µPET/CT imaging to differentiate changes in rat bone tissue density and microstructure induced by metabolic bone diseases more accurately than current available methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty three rats were divided into three groups of control, ovariectomy and vitamin-D deficiency. At the conclusion of the study, animals were subjected to glucose ((18)FDG) and sodium fluoride (Na(18)F) PET/CT scanning. Then, specimens were subjected to µCT imaging and tensile mechanical testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to control, those allocated to ovariectomy and vitamin D deficiency groups showed 4% and 22% (significant) increase in (18)FDG uptake values, respectively. DXA-based bone mineral density was higher in the vitamin D deficiency group when compared to the other groups (cortical bone), yet μCT-based apparent and mineral density results were not different between groups. DXA-based bone mineral density was lower in the ovariectomy group when compared to the other groups (cancellous bone); yet μCT-based mineral density results were not different between groups, and the μCT-based apparent density results were lower in the ovariectomy group compared to the other groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PET and micro-CT provide an accurate three-dimensional measurement of the changes in bone tissue mineral density, as well as microstructure for cortical and cancellous bone and metabolic activity. As osteomalacia is characterized by impaired bone mineralization, the use of densitometric analyses may lead to misinterpretation of the condition as osteoporosis. In contrast, µCT alone and in combination with the PET component certainly provides an accurate three-dimensional measurement of the changes in both bone tissue mineral density, as well as microstructure for cortical and cancellous bone and metabolic activity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America ; School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Andrew N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Luu
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anez-Bustillos
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aran
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Araiza Arroyo
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Entezari
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America ; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America ; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Snyder
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nazarian
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012969:Sodium Fluoride; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D012969:Sodium Fluoride