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Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Age curves of bone mineral density at the distal radius and calcaneus in Koreans
Jin-Young Min1, Kyoung-Bok Min, Domyung Paek
1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
This study evaluated age-related changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and identified the peak bone mineral density (PBMD) in Koreans. We recruited 2929 subjects, ranging in age from 5 to 86 years, from three regions: Seoul, Siwha, and Gwangyang. The BMD at the distal radius and calcaneus were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and anthropometric measures were also obtained. PBMD was calculated from the highest mean in each age group. The PBMD at the distal radius was 0.514 +/- 0.06 g/cm(2) in females and 0.598 +/- 0.07 g/cm(2) in males. Peak ages for both sexes were the thirties. For the calcaneus, PBMD was 0.509 +/- 0.09 g/cm(2) in females and 0.629 +/- 0.09 g/cm(2) in males. Peak ages were the thirties for females and the twenties for males. These results could facilitate international or interracial comparisons and be used as reference data to screen for osteoporosis in Koreans.
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