Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
07:56
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
[Forearm bone mineral density in healthy children]
E Viña Simón1, G Bueno Lozano, M I Armadá Maresca
1Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid.
Anales Espanoles De Pediatria
|February 10, 2000
Summary
This study establishes normal forearm bone mineral density (BMD) reference ranges for children and adolescents. Forearm BMD increases with age and maturity, with boys generally showing higher bone density than girls.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric endocrinology
- Bone densitometry
- Skeletal development
Context:
- Establishing normative data for bone mineral density (BMD) in pediatric populations is crucial for identifying skeletal health.
- Forearm BMD assessment provides insights into both cortical and trabecular bone mineralization.
Purpose:
- To determine normal patterns of forearm bone mineral density (BMD) in a healthy pediatric population.
- To correlate forearm BMD with age, weight, body mass index (BMI), sex, and pubertal Tanner stage.
Summary:
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure distal forearm BMD in 246 children and adolescents (2.8–20.8 years).
- Forearm BMD demonstrated a progressive increase with age, weight, height, BMI, and maturity, peaking at puberty onset.
- Boys exhibited higher mean BMD than girls across all forearm sites, with significant differences noted in late adolescence.
Impact:
- This study provides essential normative data for forearm BMD in children and adolescents.
- These reference values can aid in evaluating bone density in pediatric cases of compromised skeletal mineralization.
- Understanding sex-based differences in pediatric forearm BMD is vital for accurate clinical interpretation.
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