Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 25, 2025
Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts
Published on: January 29, 2018
Does low bone mineral density have an association with head and neck soft tissue calcifications?
Maria Fernanda Silva Andrade-Bortoletto1, Matheus Barros-Costa2, Iago Correia-Dantas2
1Department of Oral Diagnosis, Division of Oral Radiology, Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av. Limeira, 901, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Zip Code 13414-903, Brazil. maria.ferandrade@hotmail.com.
Objectives:
To evaluate whether low bone mineral density (BMD) has an association with the presence of head and neck soft tissue calcifications (STC), aging, and impaired mandibular canal cortices visibility.
Materials And Methods:
Panoramic radiographs of 1000 women aged between 50 and 75 years old were evaluated by two examiners to classify BMD using mandibular cortical index (C1- normal, C2-moderately eroded and C3-severely eroded), the presence of STC, and also the mandibular canal cortices visibility at the ramus region. Chi-square test evaluated the association between the variables (α = 5%).
Results:
There was no association between bone loss and the presence of head and neck soft tissue calcifications, except for calcified thyroid cartilage, which was less visualized at C3 group than others (p < 0.05). Women aged 61 to 70 years old presented higher bone loss than those between 50 and 60 (p < 0.05). The mandibular canal was more poorly visualized at C3 group than C1 and C2 (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
In general, no association between BMD and the presence of STC was found. However, greater bone loss had a positive correlation with aging and impaired mandibular canal cortices visibility.
Clinical Relevance:
No relationship between bone mineral density and the existence of soft tissue calcifications was found. Nevertheless, increased bone loss was positively associated with aging and a reduced mandibular canal cortices visibility. This finding highlights the clinical importance of considering bone density factors when planning treatment strategies for patients with related disorders.
More Related Videos
08:02Author Spotlight: Enhanced Quantification of Cardiovascular Calcification Progression for Longitudinal Micro PET/CT Studies in Small Research Animals
Published on: November 15, 2024
07:12Semiautomated Longitudinal Microcomputed Tomography-based Quantitative Structural Analysis of a Nude Rat Osteoporosis-related Vertebral Fracture Model
Published on: September 28, 2017
Related Concept Videos
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
01:31Essential Minerals for Bone Health
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:18The Bone Matrix
01:25Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
01:17Hormones and Bone Tissue
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...