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Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Methods for measurement of pediatric bone.
Teresa L Binkley1, Ryan Berry, Bonny L Specker
1EA Martin Program, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA. Teresa.Binkley@sdstate.edu.
Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders
|February 6, 2008
Summary
Optimizing bone mineral accrual in children through nutrition and activity is key to preventing fractures and osteoporosis. Current pediatric bone assessment methods have limitations, necessitating a better understanding of bone deficits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric bone health and development.
- Orthopedics and endocrinology.
- Biomedical engineering and imaging.
Background:
- Early life bone mineral accrual is crucial for preventing childhood fractures and later-life osteoporosis.
- Nutrition, physical activity, and pediatric diseases impact bone development.
- Existing pediatric bone assessment methods lack comprehensive capabilities for identifying specific deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review changes in bone during growth.
- To define bone density in biological terms.
- To discuss challenges in pediatric bone measurement and review assessment methods.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on pediatric bone development and assessment.
- Description of three primary methods: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), quantitative ultrasound (QUS), and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT).
- Discussion of advantages, disadvantages, and fracture risk relationships for each method.
Main Results:
- Bone development is influenced by genetics, nutrition, physical activity, and disease.
- DXA, QUS, and pQCT offer different insights into bone parameters but have limitations in pediatric populations.
- Understanding the biological basis of bone deficits is essential for accurate assessment.
Conclusions:
- No single method adequately assesses pediatric bone health and specific deficits.
- Further research is needed to refine assessment techniques and understand fracture risk.
- Optimizing early bone accrual is vital for long-term skeletal health.
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