Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) is an established technique for measuring bone mineral density (BMD) in the axial spine and peripheral skeleton (forearm, tibia). QCT can determine in three dimensions the true volumetric density (mg/cm 3) of trabecular or cortical bone at any skeletal site. However, because of the high responsiveness of spinal trabecular bone and its importance for vertebral strength, QCT has been principally employed to determine trabecular BMD in the vertebral body. QCT has been used for assessment of vertebral fracture risk, measurement of age-related bone loss, and follow-up of osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases. This article reviews the current capabilities of QCT at different skeletal sites and the recent technical developments, including volumetric acquisition.

Hip↗

PubMed2002

Bone involvement in eugonadal male patients with adrenal incidentaloma and subclinical hypercortisolism.

Adrenal incidentalomas (AI) are not associated, by definition, with clinically evident syndromes; however, some AI patients may show biochemical indexes of subclinical hypercortisolism (SH). Previous data on female AI patients indicated that SH may lead to bone loss, at least at spine. No data are available on bone involvement in samples of only AI male patients. We measured bone metabolism and bone mineral density at spine and femur by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in 38 consecutive eugonadal male AI patients and 38 healthy matched control subjects. Patients were subdivided according to the presence or absence of SH (group SH+ and group SH-, respectively). Mean Z-score levels of spinal bone mineral density measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry were lower (P < 0.05) in group SH+ (-0.42 +/- 1.62) in comparison with group SH- (0.6 +/- 1.13) and controls (0.47 +/- 1.06). Thus, in order for the most appropriate management to be individually tailored, bone mass evaluation is strongly indicated in AI male patients with SH, irrespective of their gonadal status.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗