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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Bone mineral density in beta-thalassemia major and intermedia
Mehran Karimi1, Alireza Fotouhi Ghiam, Alireza Hashemi
1Hemostasis and Thrombosis Unit, Hematology Research Center, Internal Medicine Division, Endocrinology Research Center and Immunology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. karimim@sums.ac.ir
Objective:
This study was conducted to assess bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in patients with thalassemia major and intermedia, and to correlate them with biochemical and hematological profile.
Design:
106 thalassemic patients (49 major and 57 intermedia) were scanned by dual energy xray absorptiometry technique for BMD and BMC at lumbar spine and femoral neck. The effects of sex, transfusion/chelation program as well as hemoglobin, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and serum ferritin level were also evaluated on BMD and BMC.
Results:
Patients with thalassemia major and intermedia, younger than 20 yr, showed lower BMD and BMC in the lumbar region (p < 0.05). Both parameters correlated significantly with hemoglobin level; other biochemical and hematological parameters did not influence BMD and BMC values.
Conclusion:
Bone marrow density is a good index of bone status in patients with Thalassemia and should be done in these patients annually.
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