Comparison between a new ultrasound densitometer and single photon absorptiometry

Bone mass measurements were performed in a group of 100 healthy women (ages 22-74 years) with both a densitometric technique measuring ultrasound bone velocity (UBV) at the distal metaphyses of the first phalanges of the hand and single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) applied at the distal forearm and ultradistal radius. A significant (p < 0.00001) difference was found in both UBV and bone mineral density (BMD) values between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Simple regression analysis showed a highly significant relationship (p < 0.0001) between UBV measured at proximal phalanges and BMD measured at the distal forearm (r = 0.693) and ultradistal radius (r = 0.643). There was no correlation between age and both UBV and BMD in premenopausal women. By contrast, a significant correlation was found between UBV and age in postmenopausal women (p < 0.0001: r = 0.510). A similar correlation with age was found for BMD measured at the distal forearm (p < 0.0001; r = 0.458) and ultradistal radius (p < 0.0002: r = 0.435). Changes of UBV were also significantly related to years since menopause (p < 0.0001: r = 0.526). as were BMD variations at the distal forearm (p <: 0.0001; r = 0.451) and ultradistal radius (p < 0.008: r = 0.402). The reproducibility of the methods (coefficient of variation) was 0.46% for UBV and 0.92% for SPA. Our findings seem to indicate that UBV measured at the phalanges may have the same clinical applications as BMD measured at the distal forearm and ultradistal radius.