Opportunistic hand radiographs to screen for low forearm bone mineral density: a prospective and retrospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Low bone mineral density affects 53% of women over age 65 in the US, yet many are unaware and remain untreated. Underdiagnosis of forearm osteoporosis and related fragility fractures represent missed warning signs of more deadly, future fractures. This study aimed to determine if hand radiographs could serve as early, simple screening tools for predicting low forearm bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods

We evaluated posterior-anterior (PA) hand radiographs (x-rays) and Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans of 43 participants. The ratio of the intramedullary cavity to total cortical diameter of the second metacarpal (second metacarpal cortical percentage (2MCP)) was used as a potential diagnostic marker. Mixed-effects linear regression was performed to determ

SUBMITTER: O'Mara A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10877789 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature