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The potential of digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR) in the assessment of osteopenia in children with chronic inflammatory bowel disease

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Abstract

Background

Loss of bone mass is a known complication of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children. The gold standard in the evaluation of bone mineral density (BMD) is dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Objective

In this preliminary study we evaluated digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR) which estimates BMD (DXR-BMD) from hand radiographs in children with IBD.

Materials and methods

A total of 26 children with IBD (10 girls, 16 boys; age range 10–18 years) underwent DXR for the calculation of DXR-BMD and metacarpal index (DXR-MCI) using the Pronosco X-posure system. The results were compared with a local reference database and correlated with the results of DXA.

Results

DXR-BMD was 0.36–0.56 g/cm2 (median 0.46 g/cm2) in Crohn disease patients and 0.38–0.63 g/cm2 (median 0.48 g/cm2) in ulcerative colitis patients. DXR-MCI was 0.29–0.49 in Crohn disease patients and 0.28–0.53 in ulcerative colitis patients. The Z-scores were reduced to <−1 SD in five Crohn disease patients and in six ulcerative colitis patients. The coefficients (r) for the correlations between DXR-BMD and DXA-BMD were 0.78 for the lumbar spine and 0.61 for the proximal femur (P<0.01), and between DXR-MCI and DXA-BMD were 0.78 for the lumbar spine and 0.51 for the proximal femur (P<0.01).

Conclusions

DXR seems to be able to estimate cortical osteopenia in children with chronic IBD. The DXR results showed a positive correlation with DXA results.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Radiology, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Bachstrasse 18, 07740, Jena, Germany

    Hans-Joachim Mentzel, Joachim Boettcher, Diana Tuchscherer, Alexander Pfeil, Anika Kramer, Ansgar Malich & Werner A. Kaiser

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Clinic of Pediatrics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany

    Joerg Blume & Eberhard Kauf

  3. Department of Rheumatology and Osteology, Clinic of Internal Medicine, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany

    Gabriele Lehmann & Gert Hein

Authors
  1. Hans-Joachim Mentzel
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  2. Joerg Blume
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  3. Joachim Boettcher
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  4. Gabriele Lehmann
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  5. Diana Tuchscherer
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  6. Alexander Pfeil
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  7. Anika Kramer
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  8. Ansgar Malich
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  9. Eberhard Kauf
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  10. Gert Hein
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  11. Werner A. Kaiser
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Correspondence to Hans-Joachim Mentzel.

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Mentzel, HJ., Blume, J., Boettcher, J. et al. The potential of digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR) in the assessment of osteopenia in children with chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Pediatr Radiol 36, 415–420 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-005-0093-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00247-005-0093-y

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