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Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry of the forearm: Reproducibility and correlation with single‐photon absorptiometry
Author(s) -
Leboff Meryl S.,
Fuleihan Ghada ElHajj,
Angell Jennifer E.,
Chung Susan,
Curtis Kate
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of bone and mineral research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.882
H-Index - 241
eISSN - 1523-4681
pISSN - 0884-0431
DOI - 10.1002/jbmr.5650070714
Subject(s) - reproducibility , dual energy x ray absorptiometry , forearm , densitometry , medicine , nuclear medicine , densitometer , bone mineral , bone density , osteoporosis , anatomy , chemistry , physics , chromatography , quantum mechanics
Although single‐photon absorptiometry (SPA) has been the predominant tool used to assess bone mineral density (BMD) in the forearm, the development of dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) provides the benefits of greater source stability, reduced scanning time, and improved image resolution compared to SPA. In the present study we used the DEXA bone densitometer (Hologic, Inc., Waltham, MA) to (1) measure BMD in the one‐third radius and ultradistal radius; (2) examine the reproducibility of these BMD measurements; and (3) compare the BMD at the one‐third radius with SPA (SP2, Lunar Corp., Madison, WI). In 65 normal women (ages 22–74 years) we examined changes in the forearm DEXA BMD with age, revealing significant quadratic regression equations. The reproducibility of DEXA BMD (mean ± SEM) in 7 normal subjects aged 22–50 years is 0.85 ± 0.16% for the predominantly cortical one‐third radius site and 0.97 ± 0.15% for the more trabecular ultradistal site. The regression relationship between DEXA and SPA of the one‐third radius in 26 subjects (ages 22–68 years) is DEXA BMD = 0.105 + 0.826 (SPA BMD); R = 0.97, R 2 = 0.94, p < 0.0001. Bone densitometry of the forearm using DEXA may be performed relatively rapidly, providing reproducibility and image resolution that are generally superior to those observed with SPA.