title: Digital panoramic radiographs are useful for diagnosis of osteoporosis in Korean postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether digital panoramic radiographs could be used for the diagnosis of osteoporosis through evaluation of the radiographs based on the correlation with bone mineral density (BMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and ninety-four post-menopausal women were selected from participants who had participated in the Dong-gu study. Panoramic radiographic indices measured are mental index (MI), mandibular cortical index (MCI) and simple visual estimation (SVE). BMD at the lumbar spine and proximal femur was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The Pearson's correlation test was performed to analyse the correlation between MI and age and BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to analyse the association of MI, MCI and SVE with BMD after adjusting for age, height and weight. To determine the optimal cut-off point of MI for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, the receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MI was positively correlated with BMDs: lumbar spine: r = 0.36, femoral neck: r = 0.59 and total hip: r = 0.58 (p < 0.001). As age increased, MI decreased (r = -0.46). BMD at the lumbar spine and total hip were significantly lower in participants with reduction of mandibular width, thinning and resorption of mandibular cortex by the MI, SVE and MCI, respectively. The optimal cut-off value of MI for the diagnosis of spinal osteoporosis was 2.22 mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thickness and morphological changes of mandibular inferior cortical bone are associated with BMD, independent of age, height and weight. These results suggest that MI, MCI and SVE may be useful indices for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in a Korean population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ok-Su
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Chonnam National University, Medical School, Hak1dong, Donggu, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Ho
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: In-Hwa
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Il-Gu
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Suk-Ja
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ok-Joon
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Institute of Wonkwang Medical Science, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Hoon
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D056910:Republic of Korea
keywords: bone density; mandible; osteoporosis; panoramic; radiography