Radiographic measurement of bone mineral density combined with vertebral fracture assessment for the improvement of osteoporosis diagnosis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:The diagnosis of osteoporosis depends upon the bone mineral density T-score of ≤ -2.5 standard deviation or brittle fractures. Bone mineral density measurement combined with vertebral fracture assessment might prevent the missed diagnosis of osteoporosis due to bone mineral density evaluation alone, and improve the diagnosis rate of osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effect of bone mineral density measurements combined with vertebral fracture assessment for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. METHODS:Bone mineral density measurements of proximal femur and vertebral fracture assessment for lateral thoraco-lumbar images were consecutively done for 217 postmenopausal women who aged ≥ 50 years. The rate of osteoporosis diagnosed with bone mineral density T score was compared with that diagnosed with bone mineral density combined with vertebral fracture assessment. The effects of bone mineral density on the vertebral fracture were analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:92 (42.4%) patients had bone mineral density T score ≤ -2.5, which met the threshold for diagnosis of osteoporosis. 102 (47.0%) patients had osteopanic (-1>T>-2.5) and 23 (10.6%) had normal range of bone mineral density. 158 patients had no vertebral fractures and 59 (27.2%) patients had 101 vertebral fractures. The vertebral fracture rate was 21.6%in the patients with bone mineral density T> -2.5 and 34.8%in the patients with bone mineral density T ≤ -2.5, with significant differences (P<0.05). Bone mineral density in combination with vertebral fracture assessment for the diagnosis rate of osteoporosis was up to 54.8%, which was significantly higher than the rate diagnosed with only bone mineral density (12.4%;P=0.01). Bone mineral density measurement combined with vertebral fracture assessment improves the diagnosis of osteoporosis for postmenopausal women.