[Quantitative determination of the mineral content of bone]

The interest shown in bone mineralometry is explained by the great medical and social importance of osteoporosis and the growing potentialities of the methods for its guantitative determination. The possibilities for visual assessment of the conventional X-ray image of the bone are discussed in the reports as well as X-ray morphometry o. the tubular bones and vertebrae, roentgen and photonabsorption densitometry and computer-tomography. The lack of an available, simple and cheap method for the present is stressed to force the objectivization of the changes in the mineral content of the bones, to be performed by the combined application of X-ray morphometry, fine analysis of bone structure, making use of the mammographic technique and roentgen (photon-absorption resp) densijometry.