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Detecting individuals with low bone mineral density (BMD) before clinical fractures occur may help improve the outcomes of osteoporosis and osteopenia. Although computed tomography (CT) is useful for opportunistic BMD measurement, the modality most suitable for opportunistic screening remains unclear. In this retrospective study, we compared the diagnostic performance of low-dose chest CT (LDCT) and contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT (APCT) for measuring BMD at L1 level using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) as a reference in individuals who underwent LDCT, APCT, and DEXA assessments on the same day. We included 512 individuals (median age: 60 years; interquartile range, 55-65 years; 307 men). Both LDCT (r = 0.706; P < 0.001) and APCT (r = 0.643; P < 0.001) exhibited strong correlation with DEXA T-scores. As T-scores decreased, the relative difference between LDCT and APCT Hounsfield unit values increased (b = - 6.456; P < 0.001). LDCT outperformed APCT in diagnosing both osteoporosis (AUC, 0.865 vs. 0.833; P = 0.035) and low BMD (AUC, 0.844 vs. 0.815; P = 0.006), which may be attributable to the greater effect of intravenous contrast media on CT scan characteristics in individuals with lower T-scores. These results may help inform the selection of imaging methods suitable for screening., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study aimed to develop machine learning methods to estimate bone mineral density and detect osteopenia/osteoporosis from conventional lumbar MRI (T1-weighted and T2-weighted images) and planar radiography in combination with clinical data and imaging parameters of the acquisition protocol., Methods: A database of 429 patients subjected to lumbar MRI, radiographs and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry within 6 months was created from an institutional database. Several machine learning models were trained and tested (373 patients for training, 86 for testing) with the following objectives: (1) direct estimation of the vertebral bone mineral density; (2) classification of T-score lower than - 1 or (3) lower than - 2.5. The models took as inputs either the images or radiomics features derived from them, alone or in combination with metadata (age, sex, body size, vertebral level, parameters of the imaging protocol)., Results: The best-performing models achieved mean absolute errors of 0.15-0.16 g/cm 2 for the direct estimation of bone mineral density, and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.82 (MRIs) - 0.80 (radiographs) for the classification of T-scores lower than - 1, and 0.80 (MRIs) - 0.65 (radiographs) for T-scores lower than - 2.5., Conclusions: The models showed good discriminative performances in detecting cases of low bone mineral density, and more limited capabilities for the direct estimation of its value. Being based on routine imaging and readily available data, such models are promising tools to retrospectively analyse existing datasets as well as for the opportunistic investigation of bone disorders., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The importance of osteoporosis assessment before lumbar surgery is well recognized. The MRI-based Vertebral Bone Quality (VBQ) score is introduced to evaluate bone quality; however, its diagnostic value has not been well documented. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to summarize the diagnostic value of the VBQ score for osteoporosis or osteopenia in patients undergoing lumbar surgery. We comprehensively searched electronic databases for studies exploring the diagnostic accuracy of the VBQ score for osteoporosis/osteopenia in patients with lumbar disease following the PRISMA guidelines. The quality of the included studies was assessed. The VBQ scores were compared between the groups, and the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and summary receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were calculated. Publication bias was assessed, and meta-regression was conducted. We included 17 studies with a total of 2815 patients, with a mean age of 66.4 years and a percentage of females of 72.5%. According to the QUADAS-2 tool, the quality of the included studies was relatively high. The results showed a significantly higher VBQ score in the osteoporosis/osteopenia group compared with the control group. According to the mean VBQ cutoff value of 3.02 ± 0.38 for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.76 and 0.74, respectively, and the AUC was 0.81. According to the mean VBQ cutoff value of 2.31 ± 0.18 for the diagnosis of osteopenia, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.78 and 0.58, respectively, and the AUC was 0.76. The MRI-based VBQ score could provide useful information for identifying patients with low bone mass who need further evaluation. Future prospective studies are still needed to evaluate the complementary role of the VBQ score., (© 2024. International Osteoporosis Foundation and Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.)

This study proposes a new deep-learning approach incorporating a superfluity mechanism to categorize knee X-ray images into osteoporosis, osteopenia, and normal classes. The superfluity mechanism suggests the use of two distinct types of blocks. The rationale is that, unlike a conventional serially stacked layer, the superfluity concept involves concatenating multiple layers, enabling features to flow into two branches rather than a single branch. Two knee datasets have been utilized for training, validating, and testing the proposed model. We use transfer learning with two pre-trained models, AlexNet and ResNet50, comparing the results with those of the proposed model. The results indicate that the performance of the pre-trained models, namely AlexNet and ResNet50, was inferior to that of the proposed Superfluity DL architecture. The Superfluity DL model demonstrated the highest accuracy (85.42% for dataset1 and 79.39% for dataset2) among all the pre-trained models., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is a measure of atherosclerotic vascular disease and a surrogate biomarker for cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Mineral and bone disorders (MBD) are complications of CKD, contributing to vascular calcification and accelerated atherosclerosis. Increased fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23)-the earliest detectable serum abnormality associated with CKD-MBD-has been linked with cardiovascular disease in patients with CKD. This study aimed to identify factors and analyze the relationship associated with high cIMT, high FGF23, and poor MBD control in children with CKD., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Yogyakarta, Indonesia recruiting children with CKD. The correlations and factors between cIMT, FGF23, and MBD were explored., Results: We recruited 42 children aged 2-18 years old with CKD stages 2 to 5D. There were no significant correlations between cIMT and factors including advanced CKD, use of dialysis, body mass index, hypertension, anemia, MBD, FGF23 levels, and left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Patients with advanced CKD had poorly controlled anemia, hypertension, and higher LVMI. In multivariate analysis, CKD stages, hypertension stages, the presence of MBD, and LVMI were associated with FGF23 levels (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: FGF23 levels increased with CKD progression, and MBD was more prevalent in advanced kidney disease. Elevated FGF23 is potentially associated with increased MBD prevalence in late-stage CKD. A larger study is needed to confirm the factors affecting cIMT in children with CKD., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A multi-feature fusion DCNN model for automated evaluation of lumbar vertebrae L1 on chest combined with clinical information and radiomics permits estimation of volumetric bone mineral density for evaluation of osteoporosis., Purpose: To develop a multi-feature deep learning model based on chest CT, combined with clinical information and radiomics to explore the feasibility in screening for osteoporosis based on estimation of volumetric bone mineral density., Methods: The chest CT images of 1048 health check subjects were retrospectively collected as the master dataset, and the images of 637 subjects obtained from a different CT scanner were used for the external validation cohort. The subjects were divided into three categories according to the quantitative CT (QCT) examination, namely, normal group, osteopenia group, and osteoporosis group. Firstly, a deep learning-based segmentation model was constructed. Then, classification models were established and selected, and then, an optimal model to build bone density value prediction regression model was chosen., Results: The DSC value was 0.951 ± 0.030 in the testing dataset and 0.947 ± 0.060 in the external validation cohort. The multi-feature fusion model based on the lumbar 1 vertebra had the best performance in the diagnosis. The area under the curve (AUC) of diagnosing normal, osteopenia, and osteoporosis was 0.992, 0.973, and 0.989. The mean absolute errors (MAEs) of the bone density prediction regression model in the test set and external testing dataset are 8.20 mg/cm 3 and 9.23 mg/cm 3 , respectively, and the root mean square errors (RMSEs) are 10.25 mg/cm 3 and 11.91 mg/cm 3 , respectively. The R-squared values are 0.942 and 0.923, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficients are 0.972 and 0.965., Conclusion: The multi-feature fusion DCNN model based on only the lumbar 1 vertebrae and clinical variables can perform bone density three-classification diagnosis and estimate volumetric bone mineral density. If confirmed in independent populations, this automated opportunistic chest CT evaluation can help clinical screening of large-sample populations to identify subjects at high risk of osteoporotic fracture., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Anecdotal evidence from preliminary observations has noted multiple instances where osteoporosis is present in elderly patients before the clinical detection of bowel disease, even in the absence of overt gastrointestinal symptoms. However, any potential association between these conditions remains to be further investigated. This computed tomography (CT) study investigates whether patients with gastrointestinal (GI) perforation have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than age and sex matched controls. BMD was measured by drawing 3D regions of interest in the bone marrow of the L1-L3 vertebral bodies on CT scans of each of 37 GI perforations and matched controls. Spectrometric calibration of Hounsfield units to the mineral scale was performed with density measurements in the paravertebral muscles (erector spinae) and subcutaneous adipose tissue. The mean BMD of patients with GI perforation (135.9 ± 24.3 mg/ml) was significantly lower than that of controls (96.9 ± 27.5 mg/ml, p < 0.05). The calculated T-and Z-scores of bone mineral density were also significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05 for each) and were - 2.9 (± 0.90) and - 0.8 (± 0.91) in patients with GI perforation and - 1.6 (± 0.83) and 0 (± 0.96) in the control group, respectively. The results imply that patients with gastrointestinal (GI) perforation have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than age-and sex-matched controls, posing the question whether the screening and aggressive management of osteoporosis is high-risk populations for gastrointestinal perforation can prevent gastrointestinal complications in targeted populations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The bone marrow represents one of the largest organs in the body, with a relevant metabolic role that continues to be investigated. Numerous studies have focused on marrow adipose tissue (MAT). Evidence indicates that the bone marrow adipocytes do not only work as storage tissue but also consist of endocrine and paracrine cells, with the potential to contribute to local and systemic metabolism. MAT plays a role in bone health through its interaction with the other components of bone. Many metabolic disorders (osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes) have a complex and still not well-established or understood relationship with bone health. This article surveys the literature on the relationship of bone marrow and metabolic disorders, and how it is being studied using imaging techniques, with a special focus on bone health., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Metabolic bone diseases (MBDs) are a diverse group of diseases, affecting the mass or structure of bones and leading to reduced bone quality. Parameters representing different aspects of bone health can be obtained from various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods such as proton MR spectroscopy, as well as chemical shift encoding-based water-fat imaging, that have been frequently applied to study bone marrow in particular. Furthermore, T2* mapping and high-resolution trabecular bone imaging have been implemented to study bone microstructure. In addition, quantitative susceptibility mapping and ultrashort echo time imaging are used for trabecular and cortical bone assessment. This review offers an overview of technical aspects, as well as major clinical applications and derived main findings, for MRI-based assessment of bone quality in MBDs. It focuses on osteoporosis as the most common MBD., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly impacted the field of medical imaging, particularly in diagnosing and managing metabolic bone diseases (MBDs) such as osteoporosis and osteopenia, Paget's disease, osteomalacia, and rickets, as well as rare conditions such as osteitis fibrosa cystica and osteogenesis imperfecta. This article provides an in-depth analysis of AI techniques used in imaging these conditions, recent advancements, and their clinical applications. It also explores ethical considerations and future perspectives. Through comprehensive examination and case studies, we highlight the transformative potential of AI in enhancing diagnostic accuracy, improving patient outcomes, and contributing to personalized medicine. By integrating AI with existing imaging techniques, we can significantly enhance the capabilities of medical imaging in diagnosing, monitoring, and treating MBDs. We also provide a comprehensive overview of the current state, challenges, and future prospects of AI applications in this crucial area of health care., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bone mineral density (BMD) pose several limitations in some patient categories, such as pregnant women and young people. This review article explores whether the innovative radiofrequency echographic multi-spectrometry (REMS) technology is beneficial for assessing the bone condition of various patient groups. Common consequences in patients with acromegalia, prostate cancer undergoing hormone therapy, osteogenesis imperfecta, anorexia nervosa, and in a peritoneal dialysis setting include decreased BMD and an increased risk of fragility fracture.DXA is currently regarded as the gold standard for BMD assessment. However, using the DXA technique has several drawbacks in a young patient who requires repeated BMD tests because it uses ionizing radiation. Because of its precision and consistency, the REMS technique may be a valuable tool to assess changes in bone condition in patients of all ages, particularly in female patients who are fertile or who are pregnant or nursing., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Metabolic bone diseases (MBDs), including osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and Paget's disease, represent a significant challenge in medical imaging and intervention. Interventional radiologists play a pivotal role in managing these conditions, due to the crucial role of detailed and precise imaging in diagnosing and treating MBDs. This article offers comprehensive recommendations aimed at optimizing interventional radiologic practices for patients with MBDs, highlighting the importance of using advanced imaging modalities, including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and magnetic resonance imaging, essential for accurate assessment of bone mineral density and architecture, guiding effective intervention strategies. We also discuss the use of minimally invasive procedures like vertebroplasty and biopsy, vital for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, to enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes, ensuring high-quality patient management in the context of MBDs., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Rationale and Objectives: To develop and validate a predictive model for osteoporosis and osteopenia prediction by fusing deep transfer learning (DTL) features and classical radiomics features based on single-source dual-energy computed tomography (CT) virtual monochromatic imaging., Methods: A total of 606 lumbar vertebrae with dual-energy CT imaging and quantitative CT (QCT) evaluation were included in the retrospective study and randomly divided into the training (n = 424) and validation (n = 182) cohorts. Radiomics features and DTL features were extracted from 70-keV monochromatic CT images, followed by feature selection and model construction, radiomics and DTL features models were established. Then, we integrated the selected two types of features into a features fusion model. We developed a two-level classifier for the hierarchical pairwise classification of each vertebra. All the vertebrae were first classified into osteoporosis and non-osteoporosis groups, then non-osteoporosis group was classified into osteopenia and normal groups. QCT was used as reference. The predictive performance and clinical usefulness of three models were evaluated and compared., Results: The area under the curve (AUC) of the features fusion, radiomics and DTL models for the classification between osteoporosis and non-osteoporosis were 0.981, 0.999, 0.997 in the training cohort and 0.979, 0.943, 0.848 in the validation cohort. Furthermore, the AUCs of the previously mentioned models for the differentiation between osteopenia and normal were 0.994, 0.971, 0.996 in the training cohort and 0.990, 0.968, 0.908 in the validation cohort. The overall accuracy of the previously mentioned models for two-level classifications was 0.979, 0.955, 0.908 in the training cohort and 0.918, 0.885, 0.841 in the validation cohort. Decision curve analysis showed that all models had high clinical value., Conclusion: The feature fusion model can be used for osteoporosis and osteopenia prediction with improved predictive ability over a radiomics model or a DTL model alone., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This scoping review aimed to assess the current research on artificial intelligence (AI)--enhanced opportunistic screening approaches for stratifying osteoporosis and osteopenia risk by evaluating vertebral trabecular bone structure in CT scans., Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for studies published between 2018 and December 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed articles focusing on AI techniques for classifying osteoporosis/osteopenia or determining bone mineral density using CT scans of vertebral bodies. Data extraction included study characteristics, methodologies, and key findings., Results: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Three main approaches were identified: fully automated deep learning solutions, hybrid approaches combining deep learning and conventional machine learning, and non-automated solutions using manual segmentation followed by AI analysis. Studies demonstrated high accuracy in bone mineral density prediction (86-96%) and classification of normal versus osteoporotic subjects (AUC 0.927-0.984). However, significant heterogeneity was observed in methodologies, workflows, and ground truth selection., Conclusions: The review highlights AI's promising potential in enhancing opportunistic screening for osteoporosis using CT scans. While the field is still in its early stages, with most solutions at the proof-of-concept phase, the evidence supports increased efforts to incorporate AI into radiologic workflows. Addressing knowledge gaps, such as standardizing benchmarks and increasing external validation, will be crucial for advancing the clinical application of these AI-enhanced screening methods. Integration of such technologies could lead to improved early detection of osteoporotic conditions at a low economic cost., (© 2024. International Osteoporosis Foundation and Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Background: Osteoporosis, highly prevalent among postmenopausal women, significantly reduces bone density and increases the risk of fractures. Cortical bone, which constitutes the largest calcium deposit in the human skeleton, is primarily affected in various conditions, including osteoporosis. Due to its visibility in panoramic radiography, the cortical area of the mandibular canal could be valuable in assessing decreases in bone mineral density (BMD)., Purpose: The study aimed to characterize and compare changes in the cortices of the mandibular canal between normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic postmenopausal women., Study Design, Setting, Sample: Our cross-sectional study analyzed postmenopausal patients. We included only patients with panoramic radiographs with good quality and who underwent osteoporosis risk assessment by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)., Independent Variable: BMD was measured by DXA at 3 sites (spine, femur, and forearm) and used to classify the patients into normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic. This classification remained consistent across all measurement sites., Main Outcome Variable: The main outcome variable was BMD of the mandibular canal cortices measured using black pixel intensity., Covariates: Demographic covariates, including age, weight, height, and BMD, were assessed., Analyses: One-way analysis of variance between groups considering a P < .05. The relationship between covariates and dependent variables was assessed using the Pearson correlation test., Results: The sample comprised 52 postmenopausal women aged more than 40 years (mean age 61 ± 10 years), 26 (50%) normal, 18 (35%) osteopenic, and 8 (15%) osteoporotic. Significant differences were observed in the percentage of black pixels in the mandibular ramus between the groups. In this region, the average percentage of black pixels was 3.19% (± 0.65) for the normal group, 2.78% (± 0.65) for the osteopenia group, and 2.35% (± 0.65) for the osteoporosis group (P = .015). No significant differences were found in other mandibular regions., Conclusion and Relevance: Our findings demonstrate an association between BMD assessed in the mandibular canal cortex and the presence of osteoporosis as determined by DXA. While the observed differences in black pixel percentages in the mandibular ramus are minor, they are statistically significant, suggesting that panoramic radiography may serve as an adjunctive tool for osteoporosis screening., (Copyright © 2024 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We developed a few-shot learning (FSL) framework for the diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis in knee X-ray images., Methods: Computer vision models containing deep convolutional neural networks were fine-tuned to enable generalization from natural images (ImageNet) to chest X-ray images (normal vs. pneumonia, base images). Then, a series of automated machine learning classifiers based on the Euclidean distances of base images were developed to make predictions for novel images (normal vs. osteopenia vs. osteoporosis). The performance of the FSL framework was compared with that of junior and senior radiologists. In addition, the gradient-weighted class activation mapping algorithm was used for visual interpretation., Results: In Cohort #1, the mean accuracy (0.728) and sensitivity (0.774) of the FSL models were higher than those of the radiologists (0.512 and 0.448). A diagnostic pipeline of FSL model (first)-radiologists (second) achieved better performance (0.653 accuracy, 0.582 sensitivity, and 0.816 specificity) than radiologists alone. In Cohort #2, the diagnostic pipeline also showed improved performance., Conclusions: The FSL framework yielded practical performance with respect to the diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis in comparison with radiologists. This retrospective study supports the use of promising FSL methods in computer-aided diagnosis tasks involving limited samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of osteopenia/osteoporosis in patients with bilateral temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) and its correlations with clinical and radiological findings. A total of 95 patients with bilateral TMJ-OA diagnosed by CBCT were included in the study. Clinical and radiological findings and bone mineral density (BMD) scores were recorded. Descriptive statistics and the Spearman rho correlation tests were performed. Osteopenia/osteoporosis was found in 44 of 95 patients (46.32 %) (30, osteopenia; 14 osteoporosis). Osteopenia/osteoporosis is significantly associated with postmenopausal status and age over 40 years, but it is not associated with clinical and radiological findings of TMJ-OA. Patients with bilateral TMJ-OA have a high prevalence of osteopenia/osteoporosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: In patients with degenerative lumbar diseases, we aimed to establish the cutoff value of Hounsfield units (HU) for osteoporosis screening on the basis of the relationship between computed tomography (CT) HU value and volume bone mineral density (BMD) measured by quantitative computed tomography (QCT)., Methods: A total of 136 patients aged ≥ 50 years with degenerative lumbar diseases were retrospectively included. Their QCT-BMD of L1-2 were recorded, and the CT values of L1-2 were measured with the same CT images of QCT. The degree of bone loss was evaluated with the criteria based on QCT-BMD: cutoff value of 80 mg/cm 3 for osteoporosis and cutoff value of 120 mg/cm 3 for osteopenia. The cutoff of CT value was acquired according to the linear regression equation between CT value and QCT-BMD., Results: The rate of osteoporosis, osteopenia, normal BMD was 33.8% (46/136), 51.5% (70/136), and 14.7% (20/136), respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficients between CT value and QCT-BMD were over 0.9 (P < 0.05). The cutoff of average CT value of L1-2 was calculated and adjusted to 110HU for osteoporosis and 160HU for osteopenia according the equation: average QCT-BMD of L1-2 = 0.76 ✕ average CT value of L1-2-0.46 (R 2  = 0.931, P < 0.001). Cutoff value of 110HU was 91.2% (42/46) sensitive and 88.9% (80/90) specific for identifying osteoporosis. The cutoff value of 160HU was 95.0% (19/20) sensitive and 96.6% (112/116) specific for distinguishing normal BMD from abnormal BMD (osteoporosis and osteopenia)., Conclusion: The CT value is effective in osteoporosis screening, and the QCT-based cutoff value is 110 HU for osteoporosis and 160 HU for osteopenia in the patients with degenerative lumbar disease., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: None of the authors has any conflicts of interest to declare. Ethical approval: All data collection and analysis conducted in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. For this type of study, formal consent is not required., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), a prevalent condition among teenagers, is often accompanied by osteopenia. However, the impact of brace treatment on bone density in AIS patients remains a matter of debate. The Vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score, derived from MRI signal intensity, has been shown to correlate with bone mineral density (BMD). Yet, no studies to date have drawn comparisons between VBQ scores in preoperative AIS patients who had brace treatment history and those who have not received brace treatment., Objective: This study aims to elucidate the influence of brace treatment on bone density in AIS patients using VBQ score., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 243 AIS patients, each with Cobb angles ranging from 50-70°, who had undergone preoperative MRI scans. The patients were segregated into two cohorts: those who received brace treatment (n = 174) and those who did not (n = 69). Through propensity score matching, a total of 53 matched pairs were selected for further analysis. VBQ scores were extracted from T1-weighted MRI scans., Results: Post-matching, no significant baseline discrepancies were observed between the two groups. Interestingly, brace-treated patients exhibited lower average VBQ scores than their non-brace-treated counterparts (2.43 ± 0.11 vs. 2.55 ± 0.12, p < 0.01), suggesting a higher bone density. Furthermore, a negative correlation was observed between VBQ scores and the duration of brace usage (R 2  = 0.3853, p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Brace treatment may potentially enhance bone density in AIS patients by mitigating vertebral fat infiltration. The utilization of VBQ scores presents an alternative, potentially robust approach to assessing bone quality., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Patients with low bone mineral density (BMD) face an increased risk of fractures, yet are frequently undiagnosed. Consequently, it is imperative to have opportunistically screen for low BMD in patients undergoing other medical evaluations. This retrospective study encompassed 422 patients aged ≥ 50 who underwent both dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and hand radiographs (modality of digital X-ray) from three different vendors within a 12-month period. The dataset was randomly divided into training/validation (n=338) and test (n=84) datasets. we sought to predict osteoporosis/osteopenia and establish correlations between bone textural analysis and DXA measurements. Our results demonstrate that the deep learning model achieved an accuracy of 77.38%, sensitivity of 77.38%, specificity of 73.63%, and an area under the curve (AUC) of 83% in detecting osteoporosis/osteopenia. These findings suggest that hand radiographs can serve as a viable screening tool for identifying individuals warranting formal DXA assessment for osteoporosis/osteopenia.

Introduction: Effective tools to evaluate bone quality preoperatively are scarce and the standard method to determine bone quality requires an invasive biopsy. A non-invasive, and preoperatively available method for bone quality assessment would be of clinical value. The purpose of this study is to investigate the associations of bone formation marker, serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and bone resorption marker, urine collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide (uNTX) to volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), fluorescent advanced glycation endproducts (fAGEs) and bone microstructure., Materials and Methods: A cross-secional analysis using prospective data of patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion was performed. BAP and uNTX were preoperatively collected. Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) was performed at the lumbar spine (vBMD ≤ 120 mg/cm 3 osteopenic/osteoporotic). Bone biopsies from the posterior superior iliac spine were obtained and evaluated with multiphoton fluorescence microscopy for fAGEs and microcomputed tomography (µCT) for bone microarchitecture. Correlations between BAP/uNTX to vBMD, fAGEs and µCT parameters were assessed with Spearman's ρ. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis evaluated BAP and uNTX as predictors for osteopenia/osteoporosis. Multivariable linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, BMI, race and diabetes mellitus determined associations between BAP/uNTX and fAGEs., Results: 127 prospectively enrolled patients (50.4% female, 62.5 years, BMI 28.7 kg/m 2 ) were analyzed. uNTX (ρ=-0.331,p < 0.005) and BAP (ρ=-0.245,p < 0.025) decreased with cortical fAGEs, and uNTX (ρ=-0.380,p < 0.001) decreased with trabecular fAGEs. BAP and uNTX revealed no significant correlation with vBMD. ROC analysis for BAP and uNTX discriminated osteopenia/osteoporosis with AUC of 0.477 and 0.561, respectively. In the multivariable analysis, uNTX decreased with increasing trabecular fAGEs after adjusting for covariates (β = 0.923;p = 0.031)., Conclusion: This study demonstrated an inverse association of bone turnover markers and fAGEs. Both uNTX and BAP could not predict osteopenia/osteoporosis in the spine. uNTX reflects collagen characteristics and might have a complementary role to vBMD, as a non-invasive tool for bone quality assessment in spine surgery., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: To develop two bone status prediction models combining deep learning and radiomics based on standard-dose chest computed tomography (SDCT) and low-dose chest computed tomography (LDCT), and to evaluate the effect of tube voltage on reproducibility of radiomics features and predictive efficacy of these models., Methods: A total of 1508 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. LDCT was conducted using 80 kVp, tube current ranging from 100 to 475 mA. On the other hand, SDCT was performed using 120 kVp, tube current ranging from 100 to 520 mA. We developed an automatic thoracic vertebral cancellous bone (TVCB) segmentation model. Subsequently, 1184 features were extracted and two classifiers were developed based on LDCT and SDCT images. Based on the diagnostic results of quantitative computed tomography examination, the first-level classifier was initially developed to distinguish normal or abnormal BMD (including osteoporosis and osteopenia), while the second-level classifier was employed to identify osteoporosis or osteopenia. The Dice coefficient was used to evaluate the performance of the automated segmentation model. The Concordance Correlation Coefficients (CCC) of radiomics features were calculated between LDCT and SDCT, and the performance of these models was evaluated., Results: Our automated segmentation model achieved a Dice coefficient of 0.98 ± 0.01 and 0.97 ± 0.02 in LDCT and SDCT, respectively. Alterations in tube voltage decreased the reproducibility of the extracted radiomic features, with 85.05 % of the radiomic features exhibiting low reproducibility (CCC < 0.75). The area under the curve (AUC) using LDCT-based and SDCT-based models was 0.97 ± 0.01 and 0.94 ± 0.02, respectively. Nonetheless, cross-validation with independent test sets of different tube voltage scans suggests that variations in tube voltage can impair the diagnostic efficacy of the model. Consequently, radiomics models are not universally applicable to images of varying tube voltages. In clinical settings, ensuring consistency between the tube voltage of the image used for model development and that of the acquired patient image is critical., Conclusions: Automatic bone status prediction models, utilizing either LDCT or SDCT images, enable accurate assessment of bone status. Tube voltage impacts reproducibility of features and predictive efficacy of models. It is necessary to account for tube voltage variation during the image acquisition., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the predictive value of vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score for low BMD and osteoporosis. Furthermore, we sought to enhance diagnostic effectiveness by integrating VBQ with easily accessible patient-specific factors., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 180 patients. VBQ was obtained by preoperative MRI. Low BMD was classified as meeting the standards for either osteopenia or osteoporosis. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to detect the ability of variables to assess BMD. The z-test was used to compare the area under the curves of different variables., Results: VBQ was more effective in identifying low BMD than osteoporosis (AUC, 0.768 vs. 0.613, p = 0.02). Elevated VBQ (OR 6.912, 95% CI 2.72-17.6) and low BMI (0.858, 0.76-0.97) were risk factors for low BMD, while the risk factor for osteoporosis was age (1.067, 1.02-1.12), not VBQ. ROC analysis showed that AUCs were 0.613 for VBQ and 0.665 for age when screening for osteoporosis. The combined variable of VBQ, sex, age, and BMI obtained by logistic regression significantly improved the efficacy of BMD screening, with an AUC of 0.824 for low BMD and 0.733 for osteoporosis., Conclusion: VBQ is better at detecting low BMD than identifying osteoporosis. The ability of VBQ to predict osteoporosis is limited, and a similar diagnostic efficacy can be achieved with age. Incorporating VBQ alongside demographic data enhances the efficiency of BMD assessment. With the development of artificial intelligence in medicine, this simple method is promising., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To evaluate whether the CT attenuation of bones seen on shoulder CT scans could be used to predict low bone mineral density (BMD) (osteopenia/osteoporosis), and to compare the performance of two machine learning models to predict low BMD., Methods: In this study, we evaluated 194 patients aged 50 years or greater (69.2 ± 9.1 years; 170 females) who underwent unenhanced shoulder CT scans and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry within 1 year of each other between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2021. The CT attenuation of the humerus, glenoid, coracoid, acromion, clavicle, first, second, and third ribs was obtained using 3D-Slicer. Support vector machines (SVMs) and k-nearest neighbours (kNN) were used to predict low BMD. DeLong test was used to compare the areas under the curve (AUCs)., Results: A CT attenuation of 195.4 Hounsfield Units of the clavicle had a sensitivity of 0.577, specificity of 0.781, and AUC of 0.701 to predict low BMD. In the test dataset, the SVM had sensitivity of 0.686, specificity of 1.00, and AUC of 0.857, while the kNN model had sensitivity of 0.966, specificity of 0.200, and AUC of 0.583. The SVM was superior to the CT attenuation of the clavicle (P = .003) but not better than the kNN model (P = .098)., Conclusion: The CT attenuation of the clavicle was best for predicting low BMD; however, a multivariable SVM was superior for predicting low BMD., Advances in Knowledge: SVM utilizing the CT attenuations at many sites was best for predicting low BMD., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Institute of Radiology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI can quantify the major proton pool densities in cortical bone, including total (TWPD), bound (BWPD), and pore water (PWPD) proton densities, as well as the macromolecular proton density (MMPD), associated with the collagen content, which is calculated using macromolecular fraction (MMF) from UTE magnetization transfer (UTE-MT) modeling. This study aimed to investigate the differences in water and collagen contents in tibial cortical bone, between female osteopenia (OPe) patients, osteoporosis (OPo) patients, and young participants (Young). Being postmenopausal and above 55 yr old were the inclusion criteria for OPe and OPo groups. The tibial shaft of 14 OPe (72.5 ± 6.8 yr old), 31 OPo (72.0 ± 6.4 yr old), and 31 young subjects (28.0 ± 6.1 yr old) were scanned using a knee coil on a clinical 3T scanner. Basic UTE, inversion recovery UTE, and UTE-MT sequences were performed. Investigated biomarkers were compared between groups using Kruskal-Wallis test. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated between the TH DXA T-score and UTE-MRI results. MMF, BWPD, and MMPD were significantly lower in OPo patients than in the young group, whereas T1, TWPD, and PWPD were significantly higher in OPo patients. The largest OPo/Young average percentage differences were found in MMF (41.9%), PWPD (103.5%), and MMPD (64.0%). PWPD was significantly higher (50.7%), while BWPD was significantly lower (16.4%) in OPe than the Young group on average. MMF was found to be significantly lower (27%) in OPo patients compared with OPe group. T1, MMF, TWPD, PWPD, and MMPD values significantly correlated with the TH DXA T-scores (provided by the patients and only available for OPe and OPo patients). DXA T-score showed the highest correlations with PWPD (R = 0.55) and MMF (R = 0.56) values. TWPD, PWPD, and MMF estimated using the UTE-MRI sequences were recommended to evaluate individuals with OPe and OPo., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Purpose: This study aims to develop a novel MRI-based paravertebral muscle quality (PVMQ) score for assessing muscle quality and to investigate its correlation with the degree of fat infiltration (DFF) and the vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score of paravertebral muscles. Additionally, the study compares the effectiveness of the PVMQ score and the VBQ score in assessing muscle quality and bone quality., Methods: PVMQ scores were derived from the ratio of paravertebral muscle signal intensity (SI) to L3 cerebrospinal fluid SI on T2-weighted MRI. Image J software assessed paravertebral muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and DFF. Spearman rank correlation analyses explored associations between PVMQ, VBQ scores, DFF, and T-scores in both genders. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves compared PVMQ and VBQ scores' effectiveness in distinguishing osteopenia/osteoporosis and high paraspinal muscle DFF., Results: In this study of 144 patients (94 females), PVMQ scores were significantly higher in osteoporosis and osteopenia groups compared to normals, with variations observed between genders (P < 0.05). PVMQ showed stronger positive correlation with VBQ scores and DFF in females than males (0.584 vs 0.445, 0.579 vs 0.528; P < 0.01). ROC analysis favored PVMQ over VBQ for low muscle mass in both genders (AUC = 0.767 vs 0.718, 0.793 vs 0.718). VBQ was better for bone mass in males (0.737/0.865 vs 0.691/0.858), whereas PVMQ excelled for females (0.808/0.764 vs 0.721/0.718)., Conclusion: The novel PVMQ score provides a reliable assessment of paravertebral muscle quality and shows a strong correlation with VBQ scores and DFF, particularly in females. It outperforms VBQ scores in evaluating muscle mass and offers valuable insights for assessing bone mass in females. These findings underscore the potential of the PVMQ score as a dual-purpose tool for evaluating both muscle and bone health, informing future research and clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Wang et al.)

Background: T-score measurement via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard for assessing and classifying the bone mineral density status of patients as normal, osteopenic, or osteoporotic according to the World Health Organization criteria. However, the diagnostic accuracy may be affected by the skeletal site selected for DXA., Objectives: Estimate the prevalence of femoral and lumbar BMD discordance in a community-based setting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia., Design: Cross-sectional., Setting: Polyclinics at a tertiary care center., Patients and Methods: This study included all patients aged ≥60 years who visited the Department of Family Medicine and underwent DXA screening between 2016 and 2022., Main Outcome Measures: Discordance was defined as a difference in BMD status between two skeletal sites. Minor discordance occurs when adjacent sites have different diagnoses; i.e., one site exhibits osteoporosis and the other exhibits osteopenia. In contrast, major discordance occurs when one site exhibits osteoporosis and the other exhibits normal BMD., Sample Size: 1429 older adults., Results: The study patients had a median age of 66 years (60-99, minimum-maximum). The prevalence of discordance was 41.6%, with major discordance present in 2.2% of patients and minor discordance in 39.4%. The distribution of discordance did not differ significantly among the sociodemographic factors., Conclusion: Discordance is prevalent among the Saudi geriatric population. During the analysis of DXA results, physicians should account for discordance when diagnosing and ruling out osteoporosis in high-risk patients., Limitations: All factors influencing discordance were not explored thoroughly; this study mainly focused on older adults. Furthermore, diverse age groups need to be investigated for a more comprehensive understanding of the analyzed factors.

Background: Low bone mass density (BMD) is an extraintestinal finding in celiac disease (CD). This may result in bone fractures leading to loss in quality of life., Objective: To assess BMD in male CD patients at diagnosis according to the patient's age., Methods: Descriptive retrospective carried out during the period between 2013 and 2023 in a single office that studied dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) results in 28 male patients with a recent diagnosis of CD, divided into three groups: group 1 (age up to 18 years); group 2 (from 19 to 49 years of age) and group 3 (over 50 years of age). Were studied demographic and anthropometric parameters, time delay between symptoms onset and CD diagnosis and fracture occurrence., Results: Celiac patients studied had median age 36.0 years (IQR=16.5-50.7). Among them, 39.3% had osteopenia and 14.3% had osteoporosis. Only 36% of the sample had normal DXA values (group 1 with 37.5%; group 2 with 46% and group 3 with 14.2%). No pathological fracture was observed in this sample. CD diagnosis delay observed had median 1.0 year (IQR=1.0-4.7). When the number of individuals with normal and abnormal DXA results were compared, there was no difference in body mass index, time of diagnosis delay or Marsh classification (P=0.18)., Conclusion: Male patients at the time of CD diagnosis showed a high prevalence of low BMD, which was particularly evident in individuals over 50 years of age.

Background: Osteoporosis is one of the risk factors for screw loosening after lumbar fusion. However, the probability of preoperative osteoporosis screening in patients with lumbar degenerative disease is low. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether a simplified vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score based on T12 T1-MRI could opportunistically predict osteoporosis in patients with degenerative lumbar spine diseases., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed cases treated for lumbar degenerative diseases at a single institution between August 2021 and June 2022. The patients were divided into three groups by the lowest T-score: osteoporosis group, osteopenia group, and normal bone mineral density (BMD) group. The signal intensity based on the T12 vertebral body divided by the signal intensity of the cerebrospinal fluid was calculated to obtain the simplified VBQ score, as well as the CT-based T12HU value and the traditional L1-4VBQ score. Various statistical analyses were used to compare VBQ, HU and DEXA, and the optimal T12VBQ threshold for predicting osteoporosis was obtained by plotting the receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis., Results: Total of 166 patients were included in this study. There was a statistically significant difference in T12VBQ scores between the three groups (p < 0.001). Pearson correlation showed that there was a moderate correlation between T12VBQ and T-score (r=-0.406, p < 0.001). The AUC value of T12VBQ, which distinguishes between normal and low BMD, was 0.756, and the optimal diagnostic threshold was 2.94. The AUC value of T12VBQ, which distinguishes osteoporosis from non-osteoporosis, was 0.634, and the optimal diagnostic threshold was 3.18., Conclusion: T12VBQ can be used as an effective opportunistic screening method for osteoporosis in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases. It can be used as a supplement to the evaluation of DEXA and preoperative evaluation., Trial Registration: retrospectively registered number:1502-009-644; retrospectively registered number date:27 oct 2022., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To explore sonographic cortical bone thickness (CoT) as a potential indicator of bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for screening and diagnosing pediatric osteoporosis., Methods: A prospective study included 41 osteopenic or osteoporotic patients and 52 healthy children. Radius cortical thickness (R-CoT), tibial cortical thickness (T-CoT), and second metatarsal cortical thickness (M-CoT) were measured by B-mode ultrasound; CoT values were compared between groups and the correlation between BMD and CoT was examined., Results: There were no significant differences in R-CoT ( P = 0.433), T-CoT ( P = 0.057), and M-CoT ( P = 0.978) values between the patient and control groups. No significant correlations were found between BMD T-scores and R-CoT (r = -0.073, P = 0.490), T-CoT (r = -0.154, P = 0.141), and M-CoT (r = 0.047, P = 0.657) values., Conclusion: Sonographic CoT values in children do not correlate with BMD values. Unlike in adults, sonographic CoT measurements do not appear to have a role in assessing BMD in the pediatric population., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Objective: Increasing research suggests that paraspinal muscle fat infiltration may be a potential biological marker for the assessment of osteoporosis. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between lumbar paraspinal muscle properties on MRI and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) based on QCT in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH)., Methods: A total of 383 patients (aged 24-76 years, 193 females) with clinically and radiologically diagnosed LDH were enrolled in this retrospective study. The muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and the proton density fat fraction (PDFF) were measured for the multifidus (MF), erector spinae (ES) and psoas major (PS) at the central level of L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 on lumbar MRI. QCT was used to measure the vBMD of two vertebral bodies at L1 and L2 levels. Patients were divided into three groups based on their vBMD values: normal bone density group (> 120 mg/cm 3 ), osteopenia group (80 to 120 mg/cm 3 ) and osteoporosis group (< 80 mg/cm 3 ). The differences in paraspinal muscle properties among three vBMD groups were tested by one-way ANOVA with post hoc analysis. The relationships between paraspinal muscle properties and vBMD were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Furthermore, the association between vBMD and paraspinal muscle properties was further evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis, with age and sex also included as predictors., Results: Among the 383 LDH patients, 191 had normal bone density, 129 had osteopenia and 63 had osteoporosis. In LDH patients, compared to normal and osteopenia group, paraspinal muscle PDFF was significantly greater in osteoporosis group, while paraspinal muscle CSA was lower (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age and sex, it was found that MF PDFF and PS CSA were found to be independent factors influencing vBMD (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: In patients with LDH, paraspinal muscle properties measured by IDEAL-IQ sequence and lumbar MR scan were found to be related to vBMD. There was a correlation between the degree of paraspinal muscle PDFF and decreasing vBMD, as well as a decrease paraspinal muscle CSA with decreasing vBMD. These findings suggest that clinical management should consider offering tailored treatment options for patients with LDH based on these associations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) by measuring the prepatellar fat thickness with knee radiography and to gain a measurement method that has not been done before in the literature., Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Training and Research Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkiye, between January and June 2020., Methodology: Patients' age, body mass index (BMI) data, prepatellar fat thickness (mm), L1-L4 total, bone mineral density femoral neck, femur trochanter major, and femur total T scores were recorded. The relationships between these three groups (normal, osteopenia, osteoporosis) and between prepatellar fat tissue measurement were evaluated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post Hoc Tukey tests were used in the analysis., Results:  A statistically significant difference was found in terms of trochanter major T score measurements (X2 = 20.435; p <0.001) and BMI (X2 = 66.535; p <0.001) measurements of prepatellar fat thickness measurement. A statistically significant difference was found between the three groups in terms of prepatellar fat thickness measurement, L1-4 T-score, femoral neck, and femur total values (p <0.001)., Conclusion:  Prepatellar fat thickness in postmenopausal Turkish women was positively correlated with BMD; BMD increases as the prepatellar fat thickness increases. This explains that perapatellar fat thickness creates a mechanical load on the bones and causes an increase in BMD., Key Words: Osteoporosis, Fat thickness, Bone mineral density.

Objective: Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women is associated with bone loss and a decline in muscle mass. However, the associations between lumbar muscle size and bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with and without osteoporosis remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between lumbar muscle size and BMD in nonfractured postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and those with osteopenia., Methods: A total of 89 postmenopausal women with osteopenia (n = 53) and osteoporosis (n = 36) were retrospectively enrolled in this study from 2014 to 2022. All participants underwent lumbar magnetic resonance imaging and dual-energy absorptiometry within a month. The lean lumbar muscle sizes at different lumbar levels were quantitatively evaluated on axial T1-weighted images. The associations between lumbar muscle size and BMD were analyzed using Pearson's correlation analysis., Results: The osteoporosis group had significantly smaller lean psoas muscle sizes than the osteopenia group. Based on the correlation analysis, the erector spinae and multifidus muscle sizes were significantly associated with lumbar and femoral neck BMDs in the osteoporosis group. However, no significant association was found between lean psoas muscle size and BMDs in the osteopenia group. Thus, the associations between lumbar muscle decline and bone loss differed between postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and those with osteopenia., Conclusions: The study findings suggest differences in the associations between BMD and lumbar muscle size between postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and those with osteopenia., Competing Interests: Financial disclosures/conflicts of interest: None reported., (Copyright © 2024 by The Menopause Society.)

Background: osteoporosis is a worldwide major health problem that normally diagnosed in advanced stages. So, an early detection at preclinical stage is now an interesting issue. A key factor to early diagnosis the disease is the used of noninvasive bone densitometry. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard techniques for the proposed. However, the high cost, non-widely available and exposed to ionizing radiation are still a drawback of the machine. Therefore, a cheaper, smaller and non-ionizing device such quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is now a favor alternative method, but the possibility of used QUS measurement instead of DXA is still limited due to their uncertainties. So, the aim of our study was to calibrated the QUS with the DXA to allowing the possible to establish a calibration factor (CF) to improve the measured value closer to the standard method., Methodology: 135 healthy men and women aged 30-88 years were recruited for lumbar spine/femoral neck DXA and calcaneal QUS scanning. The Pearson's correlation between T- and Z-score from the two systems were studied. Moreover, the sensitivity, specificity and percentage of diagnosed accuracy for both with and without CF were calculated., Results: The significant correlation between the two systems showed a positive trajectory in highly correlation (r = 0.784-0.899). Analyses showed a higher sensitivity, specificity and reduced the misdiagnosed rates when applied the CF in QUS values., Conclusions: QUS results showed a significantly correlated with DXA results for both lumbar spine and femoral neck sites with some percentage differences. These differences can be reduced by applied an individual specific machine CF to improve a QUS results. As identification of high risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis to reduce the demand of DXA propose, using a QUS alternative method can be a reliable that provide a cheaper and lack of ionizing radiation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Disuse osteopenia is a well-recognized consequence of prolonged physical inactivity, but its rate after orthopaedic injuries necessitating non-weight-bearing is not well studied. The purpose of this study was to estimate the rate of disuse osteopenia at the lumbar spine and proximal femur in patients with lower extremity trauma admitted to the hospital. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with lower extremity trauma with a period of strict non-weight-bearing between completion of two computed tomography (CT) scans. The radiodensity of the proximal femur or lumbar vertebrae was measured from the earliest and latest available CT scans within the non-weight-bearing timeframe. The change in estimated bone mineral density (eBMD) was calculated as a proxy for disuse osteopenia. A total of 189,111 patients were screened, with 17 patients in the proximal femur group and 15 patients in the lumbar spine group meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria. The average rate of change in eBMD of the proximal femur was a decrease of 7.54 HU/day, 95% confidence interval (CI) [3.65, 11.43]. The average rate of change in eBMD of the lumbar spine was an increase of 1.45 HU/day, 95% CI [-3.15, 6.06]. In admitted, non-weight-bearing orthopaedic trauma patients, our novel study suggests that the proximal femur experiences disuse osteopenia during periods of non-weight-bearing, although this finding was not observed at the lumbar spine. The clinical significance of this data underscores the important consideration of disuse osteopenia by all physicians when caring for patients that may require non-weight-bearing restrictions., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research® published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Orthopaedic Research Society.)

This review aims to evaluate the accuracy of various mandibular radiomorphometric indices in comparison with DEXA BMD measurements in the diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis based on a meta-analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of the indices. PRISMA statement was followed. The materials for analysis were collected in August 2023 by searching three databases: PubMed Central, Web of Science, and Scopus. The selection of studies consisted of three selection stages, and 64 articles were finally obtained. Quality assessment was performed with the QUADAS-2 tool, and the general methodological quality of retrieved studies was low. Statistical analysis was performed based on 2 × 2 tables and estimated sensitivity and specificity were obtained using SROC curves. The most used indices were MCI, MCW and PMI. The best results in detecting reduced BMD obtained for MCW ≤ 3 mm, estimated sensitivity and specificity were 0.712 (95% CI, 0.477-0.870) and 0.804 (95% CI, 0.589-0.921), respectively. The most prone to the risk of bias is the MCI due to the examiner's subjectivism. Radiomorphometric indices of the mandible can be useful as a screening tool to identify patients with low BMD, but should not be used as a diagnostic method. Further research needs to focus on analysing the ability of the indices to detect osteoporosis and also in combination the indices with clinical parameters., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To examine the association between vertebral cancellous Hounsfield units (HUs), age, bone mineral density, and T-score in a sample of Chinese adults., Methods: The study included a sample of 739 participants. Age, bone mineral density, and T-score of each participant were recorded, and HUs were measured in the L1-L4 vertebrae., Results: Data analysis revealed that HUs of vertebral cancellous bone across the pedicle level decreased with age, with women having higher values than men up to age 50 and vice versa thereafter. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between HUs of vertebral cancellous bone across the pedicle level and bone mineral density/T-score in the L1-L4 vertebrae, but with a weaker correlation in the L4 vertebrae. Additionally, HU values for participants with osteoporosis were significantly lower than HU values for participants with osteopenia and normal bone health., Conclusions: From the findings of this study, it can be concluded that HUs may be a potential predictor of bone health, with implications for presurgical assessment of the quality of bone-screw interfaces for spinal surgery., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Lumbar vertebral bone attenuation, measured in Hounsfield units (HU) can indirectly indicate the bone mineral density (BMD). The aim of this study is to determine the optimal HU threshold on abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans to detect osteopathy in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP)., Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients with CP who underwent CT scans to measure HU at L1 to L4 vertebrae. The mean lumbar vertebral attenuation of female renal transplant donors, aged 20-30 years was utilized to calculate the T-score HU of all patients at each vertebral level. Receiver operator characteristic analysis was used to determine the HU and T-score HU for diagnosis of osteopathy in patients with CP. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry value was used to categorize osteopenia and osteoporosis., Results: A total of 175 patients (mean age, 34.5 ± 10.9 years; 72 % males) and 33 female renal transplant donors (mean age, 28 ± 2.4 years) were included. A threshold HU value 212 or T score HU of -1.80 at L1 vertebra was found to have a 78 % sensitivity and 70 % specificity for differentiating between osteoporosis and non-osteoporosis (osteopenia and normal BMD). Similarly, a threshold HU value of 254 or a T-score HU of -0.46 at L1 vertebra had 78 % sensitivity and 71 % specificity for distinguishing between normal and low BMD (osteoporosis and osteopenia)., Conclusion: Abdominal CT images, which are routinely performed in chronic pancreatitis, can be used for opportunistic screening of osteoporosis and osteopenia without additional cost or radiation exposure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors and principal investigator declare that they have no financial or other competing interests for the study., (Copyright © 2023 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: the primary aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of low bone mineral density in Bahrain., Methods: this was a retrospective study, which targeted a cohort of 4822 Bahraini subjects (mean age 59.36 years: 93% females). Demographic data and results of lumbar and femur DEXA scan for the targeted sample, over the period 2016-2018, were retrieved from four hospitals., Results: The prevalence of low BMD was 62.3% (46.4% had osteopenia and 15.9% had osteoporosis). The highest rate of osteopenia was detected at the age group younger than 44 years. However, with increasing age, the rate of osteopenia declined, whereas osteoporosis increased (P < 0.001). Females were found to be at higher risk of developing both osteopenia (45.8%) and osteoporosis (18.1%) compared to males (39% and 12.4%, respectively) (P < 0.001). Postmenopausal women exhibited higher rates of low BMD (42.4% osteopenia, 22.3% osteoporosis) compared to elderly men (30.9% osteopenia, 9% osteoporosis)., Conclusions: We reported high prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in Bahrain. Low BMD was more common in females, especially in postmenopausal women. Highest prevalence of osteopenia happened at young age. Therefore, we advocate screening at younger age than previously recommended., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: identification of clinical and metabolic characteristics of osteogenesis and factors affecting bone mineral density (BMD) in children living in radioactively contaminated territories (RCT) after the ChNPP accident for the use of therapeutic and preventive measures aiming to reduce the incidence of disorders., Materials and Methods: Children aged 4 to 18 years old (n = 539) were involved in the study within 4 age groups, namely under 7 years old, 7-10 years old, 10-14 years old, older than 14 years old. Studied parameters in children with a reduced BMD (85-65 relative units and under 65 relative units) were estimated vs. the normative BMD (100-85 relative units) cases. Diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis in children was established according to the BMD T-index. Family history of the relatives of children was studied. Body weight at birth, fractures of the long bones, complaints of osalgia, jaw anomalies, dental caries, presence of obesity, and hypermobility syndrome (HMS) were assessed. Peripheral blood biochemical tests were performed featuring the serum total protein, alkaline phosphatase (APh), calcium, vitamin D, creatinine, serum iron (SI), ferritin, cortisol, pituitary thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and free thyroxine (FT4) assay. BMD was measured and radiation doses in children were reconstructed., Results: BMD depended on the age of children. A direct correlation was established between the cholelithiasis and urolithiasis incidence (р < 0.01), cancer and endocrine diseases (р < 0.05) in the relatives of children that had BMD under 65 relative units. Dental caries developed more often (р < 0.05), while obesity was less frequent (р < 0.05) in the subjects with BMD < 65 relative units. A direct correlation was established between the level of serum creatinine and BMD (р < 0.01), and there was an inverse correlation between the serum APh level and BMD (р < 0.001).Every third child had a vitamin D deficiency. Fractures of long bones and increased content of SI and TSH were characteristic for the children having got osteopenia (BMD within 85-65 relative units), while besides a predisposition to bone fractures the higher levels of SI, APh, cortisol both with calcium deficiency were found in children with osteoporosis (BMD < 65 relative units) compared to the general group with a similar BMD. An increased incidence of HMS was characteristic too. Radiation doses in children with osteopenia were higher than in those with osteoporosis: (1.17 ± 0.09) mSv and (0.92 ± 0.06) mSv respectively (р < 0.05). No correlation was found between the radiation doses and clinical signs, blood biochemistry or BMD., Conclusions: Study of the functional mechanisms of bone structures in children, depending on their metabolism, had made it possible to reveal the factors that affect bone formation in children living in RCT after the ChNPP accident, and to form the population groups for the timely application of therapeutic and preventive measures aiming to reduce the incidence of disorders of musculoskeletal system., (D. A. Bazyka, K. M. Bruslova, L. O. Liashenko, T. I. Pushkareva, N. M. Tsvyetkova, S. G. Galkina, V. G. Kondrashova, A. L. Zaytseva, L. O. Gonchar, V. F. Kuzmenko, I. V. Trychlіb, N. V. Kavardakova, T. O. Chernysh, V. D. Pismennyj, O. Y. Pleskach.)

Purpose: The incidence of metabolic bone diseases in pediatric neurosurgical patients is rare. We examined our institutional experience of metabolic bone diseases along with a review of the literature in an effort to understand management for this rare entity., Methods: Retrospective review of the electronic medical record database was performed to identify patients with primary metabolic bone disorders who underwent craniosynostosis surgery between 2011 and 2022 at a quaternary referral pediatric hospital. Literature review was conducted for primary metabolic bone disorders associated with craniosynostosis., Results: Ten patients were identified, 6 of whom were male. The most common bone disorders were hypophosphatemic rickets (n = 2) and pseudohypoparathyroidism (n = 2). The median age at diagnosis of metabolic bone disorder was 2.02 years (IQR: 0.11-4.26), 2.52 years (IQR: 1.24-3.14) at craniosynostosis diagnosis, and 2.65 years (IQR: 0.91-3.58) at the time of surgery. Sagittal suture was most commonly fused (n = 4), followed by multi-suture craniosynostosis (n = 3). Other imaging findings included Chiari (n = 1), hydrocephalus (n = 1), and concurrent Chiari and hydrocephalus (n = 1). All patients underwent surgery for craniosynostosis, with the most common operation being bifronto-orbital advancement (n = 4). A total of 5 patients underwent reoperation, 3 of which were planned second-stage surgeries and 2 of whom had craniosynostosis recurrence., Conclusions: We advocate screening for suture abnormalities in children with primary metabolic bone disorders. While cranial vault remodeling is not associated with a high rate of postoperative complications in this patient cohort, craniosynostosis recurrences may occur, and parental counseling is recommended., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Osteoporosis is underdiagnosed in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). Bone mineral density measurement by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the gold standard, but indices on plain hip radiographs also seemed to be reliable screening tools in female or Asian ethnicities in previous studies. Given the lack of knowledge about male patients and Caucasian ethnicities, this study was conducted to evaluate plane hip radiographic indices as a screening tool for osteopenia and osteoporosis in Caucasian female and also male patients before undergoing THA. A retrospective analysis of 216 elderly patients with pre-existing DXA before hip arthroplasty was performed and four indices were calculated on plain hip radiographs: Canal-Flare-Index (CFI), Canal-Calcar-Ratio (CCR), Canal-Bone-Ratio (CBR) 7 and 10 cm below the lesser trochanter. They were correlated with femoral neck DXA T-scores by Pearson's correlation and intraclass correlation coefficient, and a ROC analysis was performed. A total of 216 patients (49.5% male) were included. CBR-7 and -10 were highly correlated (p < 0.001) with femoral neck T-score in males (Pearson's correlation CBR-7 r = - 0.60, CBR-10 r = - 0.55) and females (r = - 0.74, r = - 0.77). CBR-7 and -10 also showed good diagnostic accuracy for osteoporosis in the ROC analysis in males (CBR-7: AUC = 0.75, threshold = 0.51; CBR-10: 0.63; 0.50) and females (CBR-7: AUC = 0.87, threshold = 0.55; CBR-10: 0.90; 0.54). Indices such as the Canal Bone Ratio (CBR) 7 or 10 cm below the lesser trochanter on plain hip radiographs are a good screening tool for osteopenia and osteoporosis on plain hip radiographs and can be used to initiate further diagnostics like the gold standard DXA. They differ between male and female patients., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To predict whether a patient has osteoporosis/osteopenia using the attenuation of trabecular bone obtained from knee computed tomography (CT) scans., Methods: Retrospective analysis of 273 patients who underwent contemporaneous knee CT scans and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) within 1 year. Volumetric segmentation of the trabecular bone of the distal femur, proximal tibia, patella, and proximal fibula was performed to obtain the bone CT attenuation. The data was randomly split into training/validation (78%) and test (22%) datasets and the performance in the test dataset were evaluated. The predictive properties of the CT attenuation of each bone to predict osteoporosis/osteopenia were assessed. Multivariable support vector machines (SVM) and random forest classifiers (RF) were used to predict osteoporosis/osteopenia., Results: Patients with a mean age (range) of 67.9 (50-87) years, 85% female were evaluated. Seventy-seven (28.2%) of patients had normal bone mineral density (BMD), 140 (51.3%) had osteopenia, and 56 (20.5%) had osteoporosis. The proximal tibia had the best predictive ability of all bones and a CT attenuation threshold of 96.0 Hounsfield Units (HU) had a sensitivity of .791, specificity of .706, and area under the curve (AUC) of .748. The AUC for the SVM with cubic kernel classifier (AUC = .912) was better than the RF classifier (AUC = .683, P < .001) and better than using the CT attenuation threshold of 96.0 HU at the proximal tibia (AUC = .748, P = .025)., Conclusions: Opportunistic screening for osteoporosis/osteopenia can be performed using knee CT scans. Multivariable machine learning models are more predictive than the CT attenuation of a single bone., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a major mechanical complication after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery, and is multifactorial. Osteopenia and sarcopenia are patient risk factors, but it has not yet been well-documented which of them is the more significant risk factor. We retrospectively studied patients older than 50 years who underwent ASD surgery from the lower thoracic spine to the pelvis. In addition to patient demographic data and pre- and post-operative radiographic sagittal parameters (PI: pelvic incidence; LL: lumbar lordosis; SVA: sagittal vertical axis; PT: pelvic tilt), Hounsfield unit (HU) values on preoperative computed tomography and cross sectional area (CSA) and fatty infiltration ratio (FI%) of the paraspinal musculature (PSM) on preoperative magnetic resonance image were measured from the upper-instrumented vertebra (UIV) to UIV + 2 and averaged. PJK was observed in 11 of 29 patients. There was no statistical difference between the patients with and without PJK in age at surgery, sex, body mass index, bone mineral density, preoperative PI-LL, SVA, PT, postoperative PI-LL, SVA, PT, HU, and CSA. FI% in patients with PJK (25.0) was significantly higher than that (15.3) in patients without PJK (P = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis identified FI% of PSM as a significant independent factor of PJK (odds ratio, 1.973; 95% confidence interval, 1.290-5.554; P < 0.0001). After successful elimination of possible factors related to PJK other than sarcopenia and osteopenia, sarcopenia assessed by fatty degeneration of the PSM at the UIV was shown to be a more important factor than osteopenia for PJK after long fusion for ASD., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Osteoporosis is frequently observed in patients after heart transplantation (HT), although the prevalence long-term post-HT is unknown. Most studies investigating bone mineral density (BD) after HT were performed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. In this study BD, including the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis, was investigated using coronary computed tomography (CCT) long-term post-HT. Moreover, risk factors for abnormal BD were investigated., Methods: All first CCT scans between February 2018 and June 2020 used for the annual screening for cardiac allograft vasculopathy were included. Retransplantations and scans with not fully imaged vertebrae were excluded. BD was measured as a mean of the BD of three consecutive thoracic vertebrae and categorized into normal BD, osteopenia or osteoporosis. Binary logistic regression was used to find determinants for an abnormal BD. Linear regression was used to explore determinants for the mean Hounsfield unit (HU) value of the BD., Results: In total, 140 patients were included (median age 55.2 [42.9-64.9] years, 51 (36%) female). Time between HT and CT scan was 11.0 [7.3-16.1] years. In total, 80 (57%), 43 (31%), and 17 (12%) patients had a normal BD, osteopenia, or osteoporosis, respectively. Osteoporotic fracture or vertebrae fractures was seen in 11 (8%) patients. Determinants for an abnormal BD were recipient age (OR 1.10 (1.06-1.14), p<0.001) and prednisolone use (OR 3.75 (1.27-11.01), p=0.016). In linear regression, left ventricular assist device use pre-HT (p=0.024) and time since HT (p=0.046) were additional BD determinants., Discussion: Osteopenia and osteoporosis are frequently seen on CCT post-HT. More investigation on appropriate measures to maintain a normal BD in these patients are needed., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Study Design: This was a retrospective chart review., Objective: This study aims to identify the prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) by lumbar computed tomography (CT) Hounsfield units (HUs) in patients who have normal or osteopenic bone determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)., Summary of Background Data: OP is a critical issue in the postmenopausal and aging population. Bone mineral density assessment by DEXA has been described as insensitive for diagnosing OP in the lumbar spine. Improving the detection of OP can bring more patients to treatment and reduce the risks associated with low bone mineral density., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients with DEXA scans and noncontrast CTs of the lumbar spine over a 15-year period. Patients were diagnosed as non-OP if they had a normal DEXA T -score (≥ -1) or osteopenic DEXA T -score (between -1.1 and -2.4). Patients in this cohort were considered osteoporotic by CT if L1-HU ≤110. Demographics and lumbar HUs were compared between these stratified groups., Results: A total of 74 patients were included for analysis. All patients were demographically, similar, and the average patient age was 70 years. The prevalence of OP determined by CT L1-HU ≤110 was 46% (normal DEXA: 9%, osteopenic DEXA: 63%). A significant number of males in our study were considered osteoporotic by L1-HU ≤110 (74%, P = 0.03). All individual axial and sagittal lumbar HU measurements including L1-L5 average lumbar HUs were statistically significant among non-OP and OP groups except for the lower lumbar levels ( P > 0.05 for L4 axial HUs, and L4-L5 sagittal HUs)., Conclusions: The prevalence of OP in patients with normal or osteopenic T -scores is high. Among those with osteopenia by DEXA, more than 50% may lack appropriate medical treatment. The DEXA scan may be particularly insensitive to male bone quality making the CT HU the diagnostic method of choice for detecting OP., Level of Evidence: Level III., Competing Interests: E.M.D. has consulted or has done independent contracting for Depuy Synthes, Cerapedics, Medacta International, Guidepoint Global, and Orthobullets. He serves on the political engagement council of the North American Spine Society. He is on the editorial board of Clinical Spine Surgery . The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To evaluate the difference in computed tomography (CT) attenuation value of different planes of the 7th thoracic vertebra and investigate the efficacy of axial and sagittal vertebral CT measurements in predicting osteoporosis., Materials and Methods: Patients who underwent routine chest CT and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) within 1 month were included in this retrospective study. The CT attenuation values of different planes were compared. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were used to analyse the difference of each plane in the diagnosis of osteoporosis., Results: The study included 1,338 patients (mean age of 61.9±11.9; 54% female). The CT attenuation values decreased successively in the normal group, osteopenia group, and osteoporosis group. The paired t-test results showed that the mid-axial measurements were greater than mid-sagittal measurements, with a mean difference of 9 HU, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.8-10.1). For each one-unit reduction in mid-sagittal CT attenuation value, the risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis increased by 3.6%. To distinguish osteoporosis from non-osteoporosis (osteopenia + normal), the sensitivity was 90% and the specificity was 52.4% at the mid-sagittal threshold of 113.7 HU., Conclusions: The CT attenuation values of mid-sagittal plane have higher diagnostic efficacy than axial planes in predicting osteoporosis. For patients with a sagittal CT attenuation value of <113.7 HU in the T7, further DXA examination is warranted., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)