Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography: Measurement Sensitivity in Persons With and Without Spinal Cord Injury

• Published in: Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation Vol. 87; no. 10; pp. 1376 - 1381
• Main Authors: Shields, Richard K., Dudley-Javoroski, Shauna, Boaldin, Kathryn M., Corey, Trent A., Fog, Daniel B., Ruen, Jacquelyn M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.10.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Density; Cerebrospinal fluid. Meninges. Spinal cord; Cohort Studies; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Female; Hospitals, University; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Osteoporosis; Osteoporosis. Osteomalacia. Paget disease; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Rehabilitation; Spinal cord injuries; Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology; Tibia; Tibia - diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Osteoporosis; Bone density; Spinal cord injuries; Rehabilitation; Tibia; Tomography, x-ray computed; Prognosis; Primary health care; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Length measurement; Male; Density; Regulation(control); Criterion; Cohort study; Spinal cord trauma; Bone trabeculae; Hospital; Age; Measurement error; Quantitative analysis; Human; Nervous system diseases; Radiodiagnosis; Bone density; Osteoporosis; Rehabilitation; Spinal cord injuries; Tibia; Tomography; Project; Sensitivity; Central nervous system disease; x-ray computed; External; Medical imagery; Computerized axial tomography; Spinal cord disease; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0003-9993; 1532-821X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2006.07.257

Shields RK, Dudley-Javoroski S, Boaldin KM, Corey TA, Fog DB, Ruen JM. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography: measurement sensitivity in persons with and without spinal cord injury. To determine (1) the error attributable to external tibia-length measurements by using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and (2) the effect these errors have on scan location and tibia trabecular bone mineral density (BMD) after spinal cord injury (SCI). Blinded comparison and criterion standard in matched cohorts. Primary care university hospital. Eight able-bodied subjects underwent tibia length measurement. A separate cohort of 7 men with SCI and 7 able-bodied age-matched male controls underwent pQCT analysis. Not applicable. The projected worst-case tibia-length–measurement error translated into a pQCT slice placement error of ±3mm. We collected pQCT slices at the distal 4% tibia site, 3mm proximal and 3mm distal to that site, and then quantified BMD error attributable to slice placement. Absolute BMD error was greater for able-bodied than for SCI subjects (5.87mg/cm 3 vs 4.5mg/cm 3). However, the percentage error in BMD was larger for SCI than able-bodied subjects (4.56% vs 2.23%). During cross-sectional studies of various populations, BMD differences up to 5% may be attributable to variation in limb-length–measurement error.