Abstract
Background/Introduction: Radiographic absorptiometry (RA) is one of the earliest methods of bone densitometry and has been used to measure the phalanges and metacarpals where soft tissue attenuation is minimal.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether the technique can be adapted to correct for soft tissue and measure areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in the forearm.
Methods: Digital X-ray images of the left forearm and a step phantom were acquired in a training cohort of 30 subjects (21 F, 9 M) (mean age (SD): 62 (13) years) referred for routine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examinations. Forearm DXA scans were performed on a GE-Lunar iDXA densitometer. Identical regions of interest (ROIs) in the proximal radius and ulna were measured on the X-ray and DXA images and a soft tissue ROI measured on X-ray images between the radius and ulna. X-ray measurements were expressed as equivalent step phantom thickness and used to estimate forearm aBMD using a linear equation calibrated against the GE-Lunar iDXA scans. Digital X-ray images were acquired in a second validation cohort of 30 subjects and the aBMD estimates compared with results of iDXA scans.
Results: Digital X-ray estimates of radius and ulna aBMD in the proximal forearm in the validation cohort showed a good correlation with iDXA measurements (r = 0.795). The Bland-Altman plot had a mean bias of -0.011 g/cm2 and 95% limits of agreement -0.195 to +0.173 g/cm2.
Conclusion(s): Digital X-ray estimates of proximal forearm aBMD corrected for soft tissue attenuation correlated with DXA measurements with correlation coefficients comparable to those seen for other peripheral bone densitometry technologies.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether the technique can be adapted to correct for soft tissue and measure areal bone mineral density (aBMD) in the forearm.
Methods: Digital X-ray images of the left forearm and a step phantom were acquired in a training cohort of 30 subjects (21 F, 9 M) (mean age (SD): 62 (13) years) referred for routine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) examinations. Forearm DXA scans were performed on a GE-Lunar iDXA densitometer. Identical regions of interest (ROIs) in the proximal radius and ulna were measured on the X-ray and DXA images and a soft tissue ROI measured on X-ray images between the radius and ulna. X-ray measurements were expressed as equivalent step phantom thickness and used to estimate forearm aBMD using a linear equation calibrated against the GE-Lunar iDXA scans. Digital X-ray images were acquired in a second validation cohort of 30 subjects and the aBMD estimates compared with results of iDXA scans.
Results: Digital X-ray estimates of radius and ulna aBMD in the proximal forearm in the validation cohort showed a good correlation with iDXA measurements (r = 0.795). The Bland-Altman plot had a mean bias of -0.011 g/cm2 and 95% limits of agreement -0.195 to +0.173 g/cm2.
Conclusion(s): Digital X-ray estimates of proximal forearm aBMD corrected for soft tissue attenuation correlated with DXA measurements with correlation coefficients comparable to those seen for other peripheral bone densitometry technologies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | P118 |
| Pages (from-to) | 33 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Journal | Bone Reports |
| Volume | 14 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Apr 2021 |
Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms
- Manchester Cancer Research Centre
