Radiology and imaging determinants of bone mass

Osteoporosis is a disease that shows no symptoms until fractures occur, and for that reason, relatively few diagnoses are made in time for effective therapy to be administered. Consequently, a large number of individuals experience the pain, expense, disability, and decreased quality of life caused by these age-related fractures. Sufficient diagnosis should result in decreased morbidity from osteoporotic fractures, and for that purpose determinations of bone mass and rate of bone loss are important. This review briefly outlines the most recent developments in this area with special attention to the issues on which those in the field today are in general agreement.