Summary
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) were used to quantitate the structural strength and local material properties of healing tibial osteotomies in 32 dogs. Dogs were divided into four equal groups, euthanatized at either 2, 4, 8, or 12 weeks, and imaged with DEXA and SPA. Invasive techniques were used to determine (1) the torsional properties of the bone, (2) the local stiffness properties and calcium content within the bone, and (3) new bone formation and porosity by histology. There were no differences between SPA and DEXA in their associations with the torsional properties of bone. SPA and DEXA had strong correlations with the ultimate torque (R2=0.76, 0.51) and the torsional stiffness (R2=0.68, 0.53) of bone. SPA and DEXA of periosteal callus, endosteal callus, and cortical bone had similar associations with indentation stiffness, calcium content, new bone formation, and porosity. SPA of gap tissue had significantly stronger associations with these four parameters than DEXA (P<0.05). Correlation coefficients (R2) with these local material properties ranged as high as 0.82 for SPA with new bone formation in the gap tissue and 0.73 for DEXA with indentation stiffness of periosteal callus.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mazess RB (1983) Noninvasive bone measurements. In: Kunin A (ed) Skeletal research II, Academic Press, New York, pp 277–343
Aro HT, Wippermann BW, Hodgson SF, Wahner HW, Lewallen DG, Chao EYS (1989) Prediction of properties of fracture callus by measurement of mineral density using micro-bone densitometry. J Bone Joint Surg 71-A:1020–1030
Gerlanc M, Haddad D, Hyatt GW (1975) Ultrasonic study of normal and fractured bone. Clin Orthop 111:175–180
McBroom RJ, Hayes WC, Edwards WT, Goldberg RP, White AA (1985) Prediction of vertebral body compressive fracture using quantitative computed tomography. J Bone Joint Surg 67-A:1206–1214
Adams JE, Chen SZ, Adams PH, Isherwood I (1982) Measurement of trabecular bone mineral by dual energy computed tomography. J Comput Assist Tomogr 6:601–607
Cann CE, (1988) Quantitative CT for determination of bone mineral density: a review. Radiology 166:509–522
Eriksson SAV, Isberg BO, Lindgren JU (1989) Prediction of vertebral strength by dual photon absorptiometry and quantitative computed tomography. Calcif Tissue Int 44:243–250
Borders J, Kerr E, Sartoris DJ, Stein JA, Ramos E, Moscona AA, Resnick D (1989) Quantitative dual-energy radiographic absorptiometry of the lumbar spine: in vivo comparison with dual-photon absorptiometry. Radiology 170:129–131
Sorenson JA, Camerson JR (1967) A reliable in vivo measurement of bone mineral content. J Bone Joint Surg 49-A:481–497
Borders S, Peterson KR, Orne D (1977) Prediction of bending strength of long bones from measurements of bending stiffness and bone mineral content. J Biomech Eng 99:40–44
Jurist JM, Foltz AS (1977) Human ulnar bending stiffness, mineral content, geometry and strength. J Biomech 10:455–459
Leichter I, Margulies JY, Weinreb A, Mizrahi J, Robin GC, Conforty B, Makin M, Bloch B (1982) The relationship between bone density, mineral content, and mechanical strength in the femoral neck. Clin Orthop 163:272–281
Mazess RB, Collick B, Trempe J, Barden H, Hanson J (1989) Performance evaluation of a dual-energy X-ray bone densitometer. Calcif Tissue Int 44:228–232
Wahner HW, Dunn WL, Brown ML, Morin RL, Riggs BL (1988) Comparison of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and dual photon absorptiometry for bone mineral measurements of the lumbar spine. Mayo Clin Proc 63:1075–1084
Pacifici R, Rupich R, Vered I, Fischer KC, Griffin M, Susman N, Avioli LV (1988) Dual energy radiography (DER): a preliminary comparative study. Calcif Tissue Int 43:189–191
Beljan JR, Hellewell AB, Goldman M (1971) The effect of calcium deficiency on healing of experimental fractures in the avian tarsus as determined by the fracture repair ratio. Clin Orthop 78:277–285
Finsen V, Haave (1987) Changes in bone mass after tibial shaft fracture. Acta Orthop Scand 58:369–371
Hellewell AB, Beljan JR, Goldman M (1975) The effect of diethylstilbestrol on the rate of osseous repair bone integrity, and plasma calcium in the adult avain. Calcif Tissue Res 18:233–239
Hellewell AB (1980) Absorptiometric quantitation of experimental fracture mineralization. 4th Int Conf Bone Mineral Measure. NIH Publ. 80-1938, pp. 121–126
Lewallen DG, Chao EYS, Kasman RA, Kelly PJ (1984) Comparison of the effects of compression plates and external fixators on early bone healing. J Bone Joint Surg 66-A:1084–1091
Rand JA, An KN, Chao EYS, Kelly PJ (1981) A comparison of the effect of open intramedullary nailing and compressionplate fixation on fracture site blood flow and fracture union. J Bone Joint Surg 63-A:427–442
Rhinelander FW, Phillips RS, Steel WM, Beer JC (1968) Microangiography in bone healing. I. Displaced closed fractures. J Bone Joint Surg 50-A:643–662
Harris WH, Lavorgna J, Hamblen DL, Haywood EA (1968) The inhibition of ossification in vivo. Clin Orthop 61:52–60
Moore R, Wahner H (1974) The measurement of bone mineral. Appl Radiol 3:63–67
Wahner HW, Riggs BL, Beabout JW (1977) Diagnosis of osteoporosis: usefulness of photon absorptiometry at the radius. J Nucl Med 18:432–437
Falkenberg J (1961) An experimental study of the rate of fracture healing. Acta Orthop Scand (suppl) 50:7–98
Burstein AH, Frankel VH (1971) A standard test for laboratory animal bone. Technical note. J Biomech 4:155–158
Nixon DE, Moyer TP, Johnson P, McCall JT, Ness AB, Fjerstad WH, Wehde MB (1986) Routine measurement of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and iron in urine and serum by inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy. Clin Chem 32:1660–1665
Baron R, Vignery A, Neff L, Silverglate A, Maria AS (1979) Processing of undecalcified bone specimens, for bone histomorphometry. In: Recker RR (ed) Bone histomorphometry techniques and interpretation. CRC Press, New York, pp 13–35
Hodgson SF (1986) Skeletal remodeling and renal osteodystrophy. Seminars Nephrology 6:42–55
Jowsey J, Kelly PJ, Riggs B, Bianco AJ, Scholz DA, Gershon-Cohen J (1965) Quantitative microradiographic studies of normal and osteoporotic bone. J Bone Joint Surg 47-A:785–806.
Kelly PH, Peterson LFA, Janes JM (1959) A method of using sections for microangiography for subsequent histology study. Proc Staff Meet Mayo Clin 34:274–283
Aro HT, Wahner HW, Kelly PJ, Chao EYS (1989) Comparison of stable transverse and unstable oblique osteotomy healing in the canine tibia under external fixation. Trans Orthop Res Soc 14:121
Chin HC, Frassica FJ, Markel MD, Frassica DA, Schray MF, Sim FH, Chao EYS (1989) The effect of therapeutic irradiation on bone ingrowth and extracortical bone formation in porous-coated prosthetic components. Trans Orthop Res Soc 14:555
Lewallen DG, Aro HT, Chao EYS, Berquist TH, Kelly PJ (1988) Noninvasive evaluation of bone healing using quantitative MRI imaging. Trans Orthop Res Soc 13:409
Frost HM (1983) Bone histomorphometry: choice of marking agent and labeling schedule. In: Recker RR (ed) Bone histomorphometry: techniques and interpretation, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 37–52
Vanderhoeft PJ, Kelly PJ, Peterson LFA (1967) Determination of growth rates in canine bone by means of tetracyclinelabeled patterns. Lab Invest 11:714–726
Aro H, Kelly PJ, Lewallen DG, Chao EYS (1988) Comparison of the effects of dynamization and constant rigid fixation on rate and the quality of bone osteotomy union in external fixation. Trans Orthop Res Soc 13:303
Hart MB, Wu J, Chao EYS, Kelly PJ (1985) External skeletal fixation of canine tibial osteotomies. J Bone Joint Surg 67-A:598–605
Wu J, Shyr HS, Chao EYS, Kelly PJ (1984) Comparison of osteotomy healing under external fixation devices with different stiffness characteristics. J Bone Joint Surg 66-A:1258–1264
Cruess RL, Dumont J (1975) Fracture healing. Can J Surg 18:403–413
Sevitt S (1980) Healing of fractures in man. In: Owen R, Goodfellow J, Bullough P (eds) Scientific foundations of orthopedics and traumatology WB Saunders, Philadelphia, pp 258–272
Wahner HW, Riggs BL (1986) Methods and application of bone densitometry in clinical diagnosis. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 24:217–233
Hayes WC, Carter DR (1979) Biomechanics of bone. In: Simmons DJ, Kunin AS (eds) Skeletal research. Academic Press, New York, pp 263–300
Aitken GK, Bourne RB, Finlay JB, Rorabeck CH, Andreae PR (1985) Indentation stiffness of the cancellous bone in the distal human tibia. Clin Orthop 201:264–270
Linde F, Gothgen CB, Hvid I, Pongsoipetch B (1988) Mechanical properties of trabecular bone by a non-destructive compression testing approach. Eng Med 17:23–29
Mazess RB, Wahner HW (1988) Nuclear medicine and densitometry. In: Riggs BL, Melton LJ (eds) Osteoporosis: etiology, diagnosis, and management. Raven Press, New York, pp 251–295
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Markel, M.D., Wikenheiser, M.A., Morin, R.L. et al. The determination of bone fracture properties by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and single-photon absorptiometry: A comparative study. Calcif Tissue Int 48, 392–399 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02556452
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02556452