Objectives : Whole body bone mineral density(BMD) measurement were compared with regional BMD using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to determine relationship among BMD values obtained from different sites, and to know concordant rate among bone statu...
Objectives : Whole body bone mineral density(BMD) measurement were compared with regional BMD using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to determine relationship among BMD values obtained from different sites, and to know concordant rate among bone status of different sites. Materials and Methods : From December 2000 to May 2002, whole body and regional(femer, lumbar spine) BMD were measured simultaneously on 147 peri or postmenopausal women who visited the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung-Ang University. The relationships among BMD of different sites were analyzed using correlation coefficients and concordant rate of bone status among different sites were assessed according to WHO definition. Results : The correlation coefficients among BMDs of different sites were ranging from 0.66 to 0.90. The highest degree of correlation(r=0.90) was shown on the whole body and legs, the lowest correlation(r=0.66) was on trunk and arms. Variable degrees of concordant rate were found ranging from 67.3% to 89.1%. When the bone status of whole body was normal, all other sites were almost normal in bone status. The concordant rate in bone status of whole body showed highest degree when assessed with bone status of arms, and lowest with lumbar spine(L2-4). When the bone status of total femur were osteoporotic, bone status of all other sites showed osteoporosis. The bone status of total femur were highly concordant with that of whole body, and poorly with spine. When the bone status of lumbar spine were normal, all other sites showed mostly normal and highly concordant with that of arms and total femur, but discordant with legs. Conclusion : In measurement of BMD to diagnose osteoporosis, the whole body ad regional BMD showed highly correlated, so measurement of BMD at any site is a competent predictor of all other sites, however, to know bone status at specific site, site-specific measurement is needed.