Total body mineral mass measured with dual photon absorptiometry in healthy children

Using dual photon absorptiometry, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) of the total body and the lumbar spine were assessed in 97 healthy, Caucasian children aged 3-14 years. Excellent correlations were found between BMC and BMD on the one hand and age, body height and body weight on the other. No differences were found between boys and girls. There was a strong correlation between lumbar spine measurement as compared to those of the total body. Regression equations for total body and the different parts of the skeleton were calculated with either BMC or BMD as the dependent variable, and age, body height and body weight as independent variables. High variation coefficients were obtained in these multiple regressions, except for the head. For total body BMC and total body BMD, growth charts were constructed using Tanner and Whitehouse data on body height and body height and body weight. Conclusions. The increase in total body mineral content is an important feature of normal growth. Normal data for BMC and BMD in childhood are essential for bone mineralisation abnormalities in paediatric patients.