Yonsei Med J.  2008 Jun;49(3):436-442. 10.3349/ymj.2008.49.3.436.

Does Quantitative Tibial Ultrasound Predict Low Bone Mineral Density Defined by Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry?

• Tuna H
• Birtane M
• Ekuklu G
• Cermik F
• Tuna F
• Kokino S

• KMID: 724260
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2008.49.3.436

Abstract

PURPOSE
Efforts for the early detection of bone loss and subsequent fracture risk by quantitative ultrasound (QUS), which is a non-invasive, radiation free, and cheaper method, seem rational to reduce the management costs. We aimed in this study to assess the probable correlation of speed of sound (SOS) values obtained by QUS with bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by the gold standard method, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and to investigate the diagnostic value of QUS to define low BMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred twenty-two postmenopausal women having prior standard DEXA measurements were included in the study. Spine and proximal femur (neck, trochanter and Ward's triangle) BMD were assessed in a standard protocol by DEXA. The middle point of the right tibia was chosen for SOS measurement by tibial QUS. RESULTS: The SOS values were observed to be significantly higher in the normal BMD (t score >-1) group at all measurement sites except for the lumbar region, when compared with the low BMD group (t score <-1). SOS was negatively correlated with age (r=-0.66) and month since menopause (r=-0.57). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for QUS t score to diagnose low BMD did not seem to be satisfactory at either of the measurement sites. CONCLUSION: Tibial SOS was correlated weakly with BMD values of femur and lumbar spine as measured by DEXA and its diagnostic value did not seem to be high for discriminating between normal and low BMD, at these sites.

Keyword

Quantitative tibial ultrasound; low bone mineral density

MeSH Terms

Absorptiometry, Photon/*methods
Aged
*Bone Density
Female
Femur/metabolism/radiography/ultrasonography
Humans
Middle Aged
Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/diagnosis/metabolism
Reproducibility of Results
Sensitivity and Specificity
Spine/metabolism/radiography/ultrasonography
Tibia/metabolism/*radiography/*ultrasonography

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 ROC curves for SOS in diagnosing low BMD using L 2 - 4 DEXA t scores as the standard. ROC, receiver operating characteristic; SOS, speed of sound; BMD, bone mineral density; DEXA, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry.

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