A postmortem correlation of four techniques of assessment of osteoporosis with force of bone compression

Prosected vertebrae and phalanges from 32 cadavera were examined using noninvasive methods commonly used for assessment of osteoporosis. Bone measures were then compared with a strength variable obtained by mechanically crushing or breaking the bones. All of the phalangeal density assessment techniques were found to be significantly correlated with the bone strength. The highest correlations were between bone mineral content and strength. In vertebral samples (cubes with 2 cm sides), bone mineral content corrected for bone width (BMC/BW) was significantly correlated with the force at the first deviation from linearity. Correlations between the computed tomography number and bone strength were negligible. Bone strength of the vertebrae was significantly correlated to that of the fingers. Photon absorptometric (SPA) measurements of the vertebrae correlated significantly with corresponding measures of the phalanges. BMC/BW appeared as the first or second variable selected as a predictor of bone strength in the multiple regression analysis. Throughout this entire study, BMC or BMC/BW were the only variables that were consistently related to the strength variables.