Determination of bone mineral density in the third lumbar vertebral body using photon absorptiometry techniques

• Published in: Applied radiation and isotopes Vol. 49; no. 12; pp. 1511 - 1518
• Main Authors: Swanpalmer, Janos, Kullenberg, Ragnar, Hansson, Tommy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.1998
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon - methods; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Bone; Bone Density; bone mineral; Female; gender differences; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Male; Middle Aged; Minerals; photon absorptiometry; Risk assessment; Sex Characteristics; Space life sciences; Tissue; trabecular bone; trabecular bone; photon absorptiometry; bone mineral; gender differences; bone density
• ISSN: 0969-8043; 1872-9800
• DOI: 10.1016/S0969-8043(97)10140-3

Dual-photon absorptiometry and triple-energy X-ray absorptiometry were used to investigate the total bone mineral content and density as well as the trabecular bone mineral density in the third lumbar vertebral body. Both anteroposterior (AP) and lateral (LAT) measurements were performed. By combining the two projections it was found that the mean trabecular bone mineral density for all 202 subjects included in the study was 52% (SD±20%) of the total bone mineral density in the third lumbar vertebral body. The mean trabecular bone mineral density as a fraction of the total vertebral body bone mineral density decreased as a function of age. The relative annual change in this fraction differed between males and females. It was also found that neither trabecular nor total bone mineral density differed significantly between male and female subjects aged 25–35 years, and bone mineral density (BMD), expressed in g/cm 3, showed no correlation to subject height, body weight or body mass index (BMI). Male and female individuals showed different rates of change of trabecular bone mineral density with age.