Iliac crest biopsy: representativity for the amount of mineralized bone

The aim of the study was to evaluate the representativity of iliac crest biopsy for the amount of mineralized trabecular and cortical bone in the skeleton. The following data were obtained on bone from 14 necropsies: right sided iliac crest biopsy, lumbar spine biopsy, dry fat free weight of lumbar spine, bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine and dry fat free weight of cortical and trabecular bone from the left distal forearm. The amount of mineralized cortical and trabecular bone from various sites was compared by linear regression analysis. The results confirm iliac crest biopsy as a good predictor of the amount of trabecular bone, but not of cortical bone. Furthermore, iliac crest biopsy is a better estimate of the amount of trabecular bone in the lumbar spine than spinal BMD.