Total body and regional bone mineral by dual-photon absorptiometry in metabolic bone disease

Dual-photon absorptiometry (153Gd) was used to measure bone mineral of the total body and major anatomical areas. Patients with osteoporosis (male = 11, female = 18) and with renal osteodystrophy (n = 17) were significantly below (20%) normal females (n = 72) and males (n = 13) at most sites. In the osteoporotic patients, but not the renal patients, there was preferential osteopenia of the spine. Bone loss in all anatomical areas became evident after the menopause with an annual loss rate of about 0.7%.