[Measuring the mineral content of the distal radius in the age of growth]

A study was carried out to characterize in the growing skeleton the absorptiometric measurement of the ultradistal radial epiphysis where the trabecular bone is higher than at proximal scanning planes. The study showed that a radius scan, 1 to 1.4 cm proximal to the ulnar tip, and consequently 4 to 6 mm proximal to the growing plate, gives reproducible informations in infants aged 6 years or more when the BMC, and not the BMC/BW, is considered, as the measurement error is 3.5% and 5.7%, respectively.