[Results of peripheral densitometry in a population of postmenopausal women]

Osteodensity was compared in 582 postmenopausal patients with such pathologies as urogenital atrophy, osteoporosis, vulvar craurosis, breast carcinoma, hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma. A double-photon Z-ray densitometer with a computer program designed for postmenopausal women examination was employed. It was shown that osteodensity measurements can distinguish two opposite patterns of homeostasis in postmenopause: involute-atrophic vs. hyperplastic processes in target tissues characterized by high oncological susceptibility. However, if strict and clear distinctions are applied, many patterns of pathology combination so typical of postmenopause will stay outside the classification. Much in further studies of the problem will depend on progress made in investigation of estrogen receptors in target tissues.