title: Attenuating trabecular morphology associated with low magnesium diet evaluated using micro computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The literature shows that bone mineral density (BMD) and the geometric architecture of trabecular bone in the femur may be affected by inadequate dietary intake of Mg. In this study, we used microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) to characterize and quantify the impact of a low-Mg diet on femoral trabecular bones in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were randomly assigned to 2 groups and supplied either a normal or low-Mg diet for 8weeks. Samples of plasma and urine were collected for biochemical analysis, and femur tissues were removed for micro-CT imaging. In addition to considering standard parameters, we regarded trabecular bone as a cylindrical rod and used computational algorithms for a technical assessment of the morphological characteristics of the bones. BMD (mg-HA/cm3) was obtained using a standard phantom.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed a decline in the total tissue volume, bone volume, percent bone volume, fractal dimension, number of trabecular segments, number of connecting nodes, bone mineral content (mg-HA), and BMD, as well as an increase in the structural model index and surface-area-to-volume ratio in low-Mg mice. Subsequently, we examined the distributions of the trabecular segment length and radius, and a series of specific local maximums were identified. The biochemical analysis revealed a 43% (96%) decrease in Mg and a 40% (71%) decrease in Ca in plasma (urine excretion).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This technical assessment performed using micro-CT revealed a lower population of femoral trabecular bones and a decrease in BMD at the distal metaphysis in the low-Mg mice. Examining the distributions of the length and radius of trabecular segments showed that the average length and radius of the trabecular segments in low-Mg mice are similar to those in normal mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.|Department of Medical Imaging and Intervention, Linkuo Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shu-Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shun-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Stem Cell Center, Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fu-Chou
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-En
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Tzu
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory Animal Center, National Applied Research Laboratories, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Jeng
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Providence University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D004032:Diet; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006132:Growth Plate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D008275:Magnesium Deficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D011897:Random Allocation; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium