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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Bone mineral content and bone mineral density values measured by single photon absorptiometry among healthy Saudi
M El-Desouki1, A Al-Nuaim, M N Al-Mutib
1Nuclear Medicine Division, Endocrinology Division, Nephrology Division, Department of Medicine, Primary Care Department, King Khalid University Hospital, and Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
Several noninvasive methods for assessing bone mass have emerged over the last two decades, namely, single photon absorptiometry (SPA), dual photon absorptiometry, and quantitative computerized tomography. These techniques have proved to be sensitive and reproducible, with absorptiometry causing minimal radiation exposure. Several studies on osteoporosis have shown that its frequency varies in different racial groups; for example, Hispanics and Blacks in the USA appear to be the least affected by osteoporosis. It was therefore important to establish the normal standard of measurements of bone mass among healthy Saudi population using SPA to be used for clinical applications such as predicting the risk of fractures, monitoring the response to therapy, and quantitating the severity of metabolic bone disease.
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