Characteristics of Lumbar Bone Density in Middle-Aged and Elderly Subjects: A Correlation Study between T-Scores Determined by the DEXA Scan and Hounsfield Units from CT

• Published in: Journal of healthcare engineering Vol. 2021; pp. 1 - 7
• Main Authors: Zhang, Dejian, Wu, Yao, Luo, Shengfei, Wang, Fangyong, Li, Lizhuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Hindawi 16.12.2021
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Aged; Bone Density; Correlation of Data; Female; Fractures, Compression; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Spinal Fractures; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 2040-2295; 2040-2309; 2040-2309
• DOI: 10.1155/2021/5443457

Purpose. To describe the characteristics of lumbar bone density in middle-aged and elderly subjects and explore whether there is a correlation between computed tomography (CT) values and the bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores of the lumbar vertebral cancellous bone. Methods. Forty-two subjects, including 25 males and 17 females, with a mean age of 56 years, who underwent BMD measurement and lumbar multislice spiral CT scan at the China Rehabilitation Research Center from January 2019 to December 2019 were selected. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was applied to obtain the total BMD T-scores of the lumbar L1–L4 vertebrae. Results. The CT values decreased from L1 to L4 and were 145.91 ± 8.686 HU, 143.18 ± 8.598 HU, 137.39 ± 8.276 HU, and 135.23 ± 8.219 HU, respectively. The total CT value of L1–L4 was 140.43 ± 4.199 HU. The mean total BMD T-score of L1–L4 was −0.94. The CT values of the L1–L4 vertebrae were positively correlated with the total BMD T-scores of L1–L4 (r = 0.349, P<0.001). The CT value of the left third of the same vertebrae was the highest, and there was a strong positive correlation between the regional CT value of the lumbar spine and the entire vertebra CT values (r > 0.7). Conclusion. The CT values of the lumbar spine can assist the measurement of the T-scores of lumbar BMD, which could aid in early opportunistic screening for osteopenia and preventing osteoporosis and vertebral compression fractures in middle-aged and elderly subjects. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2100049571.