Summary
To study bone histomorphometry reproducibility in normal subjects, we performed during orthopedic surgery bone biopsies in 16 post-menopausal women. Each woman had four bone biopsies, two at the usual site in the iliac crest, one on the left and one on the right side, and two other biopsies just behind the usual site, one at each side. We performed measurements of trabecular bone volume, relative osteoid volume, osteoid surfaces, osteoclastic resorption surfaces and calcification front. The average values of the 16 patients were compared, on the one hand, two by two, by a student test, and on the other hand, by a variance analysis. By these two methods the results showed no significant difference between the average values of the 16 patients at each location for any of the histomorphometric parameters studied. However, there was a location variation which was estimated by the intra-individual variation for a given patient. On the other hand, we calculated from the variance analysis the location variance for a group of 10 to 100 patients. In any case all the parameters had a location variation which was high for osteoclastic resorption surfaces and relative osteoid volume when expressed in % of the absolute value of these parameters. The variation of the trabecular bone volume was 0–46. 15% (95% confident limit interval) in a single patient and the hypothetical value of the location variation was 41.6% for a group of 10 patients and 13.0% for a group of 100 patients.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Parfitt, A. M.: Some problems in measuring the amount of bone by histologic techniques. In P. Meunier (ed.): Bone Histomorphometry, pp. 103–113. Second International Workshop, Lyon, June, 1976
Giroux, J. M., Courpron, P., and Meunier, P.: Histomorphométrie de l'ostéopénie physiologique sénile. Thesis, Lyon, 1975
Dequeker, J.: Bone Loss in Normal and Pathological Conditions. Leuwen University Press, 1972
Visser, W. J., Niermans, H. J., Roelofs, J. M. M., Raymakers, J. A., Duursma, S. A.: Comparative morphometry of bone biopsies obtained by two different methods from the right and left iliac crest. In P. J. Meunier (ed.): Bone Histomorphometry, pp. 79–87. Second International Workshop, Lyon, June, 1976
Melsen, F., Melsen, B., Mosekilde, L.: An evaluation of the quantitative parameters applied in bone histology, Acta Pathol. Microbiol. Scand. [A]86:63–69, 1978
Ritz, E., Krempien, B., Bommer, J., Jesdinski, J.: A critical analysis of microphotometry in metabolic osteopathy, Verh. Dtsch. Ges. Pathol. 363–365, 1974
Bergot, C., Laval-Jeantet, Laval-Jeantet, M.: Etude critique des variations de la mesure de la masse osseuse par biopsie illiaque, Rev. Rhum.45:317–324, 1978
Bordier, P., Matraj, T. H., Miravet, L., Hioco, D.: Mesure histologique de la masse et de la résorption des travées osseuses, Pathol. Biol.12:1238–1243, 1964
Beck, J. S., Nordin, B. E. C.: Histological assessment of osteoporosis by iliac crest biopsy, J. Pathol. Bacteriol.80:391–397, 1960
Ellis, H. A., Peart, K. M.: Quantitative observation on mineralized and non mineralized bone in the iliac crest, J. Clin. Pathol.25n:277–286, 1972
Whitehouse, W. J.: Cancellous bone in the anterior part of the iliac crest, Calcif. Tissue Res.23:67–76, 1977
Boyce, B. F., Courpron, P., Meunier, P. J.: Amount of bone in osteoporosis and physiological senile osteopenia. Comparison of two histomorphometric parameters, Metab. Bone Dis. Rel. Res.1:35–38, 1978
Courpron, P.: Données histologiques quantitatives sur le vieillissement osseux humain. Thesis, Lyon, 1972
Haas, H. G., Dambacher, M. A., Guncaga, J., Lauffen-Burger, Th., Olah, A. J.: Efficacy of 1–25 (OH)2 D3 in osteoporosis. IVth International Workshop on Calcified Tissue, Rhodes, April, 1979
Malluche, H. H., Goldsteien, D. A., Massry, S. G.: Management of renal osteodystrophy with 1–25 (OH)2 D3, Mineral Electrolyte Metab.2:48–55, 1979
Maziere and Kuntz: In vivo analysis by bone calcium by local neutron activation of the hand: results in normal and osteoporotic subjects, J. Nucl. Med.20:85–92, 1979
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Vernejoul, M.C., Kuntz, D., Miravet, L. et al. Bone histomorphometric reproducibility in normal patients. Calcif Tissue Int 33, 369–374 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02409458
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02409458