Peripheral Ct In The Diagnosis Of Osteoporosis

This review shows that, compared to both DXA and axial QCT, pQCT is a more versatile technique, allowing for selective assessment of trabecular and cortical bone components, accurate assessment of bone geometry, assessment of muscle mass and muscle/bone relationships. Although pQCT has not been evaluated as thoroughly as DXA in clinical research, recent studies on representative populations in the USA and Italy have yielded normative data on trabecular and cortical bone volumetric BMD, and geometry parameters obtained by pQCT at multiple skeletal sites. These data can be used as reference values by physicians to detect patients with osteopenia, assess their bone strength, and to plan appropriate, patho-physiologically based treatment.