Bone mineral measurements in the lumbar spine of Egyptian children using quantitative computed tomography

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to determine age and gender based normative values for spinal bone mineral density [BMD] in Egyptian children. Five hundred and twenty two healthy Egyptian subjects aged 2 months to 12 years [292 males, mean age 5.6 years; 230 females, mean age 6.2 years] were recruited for BMD assessment. BMD was measured by quantitative computed tomography [QCT] using General Electric Scanner Prospeed Plus with 512 x 512 matrix. The study population were grouped according to age into Group-I that included 141 cases [86 boys and 55 girls, aged 2 months to less than 2 years, mean 1.3 years], Group-II included 218 cases [123 boys and 95 girls, aged 2 to less than 6 years, mean 3.6 years] and Group-III that included 163 cases [83 boys and 80 girls, aged 6 -12 years, mean 8.2 years]. Bone mineral density for each group was calculated in addition to the mean and standard deviation. Drawings representing the mean of bone mineral content in different age groups were also made. Finally we compared our data with those in the literature