Does thoracic or lumbar spine bone architecture predict vertebral failure strength more accurately than density?
SUMMARY: Trabecular bone microstructure was studied in 6 mm bone biopsies taken from the 10th thoracic and 2nd lumbar vertebra of 165 human donors and shown to not differ significantly between these sites. Microstructural parameters at the locations examined provided only marginal additional information to quantitative computed tomography in predicting experimental failure strength. INTRODUCTION: It is unknown whether trabecular microstructure differs between thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and whether it adds significant information in predicting the mechanical strength of vertebrae in combination with QCT-based bone density. METHODS: Six mm cylindrical biopsies taken at mid-vertebral level, anterior to the center of the thoracic vertebra (T) 10 and the lumbar vertebra (L) 2 were studied with micro-computed tomography (microCT) in 165 donors (age 52 to 99 years). The segment T11-L1 was examined with QCT and tested to failure using a testing machine. RESULTS: The correlation of microstru
Trabecular bone microstructure was studied in 6 mm bone biopsies taken from the 10th thoracic and 2nd lumbar vertebra of 165 human donors and shown to not differ significantly between these sites. Microstructural parameters at the locations examined provided only marginal additional information to quantitative computed tomography in predicting experimental failure strength. INTRODUCTION: It is unknown whether trabecular microstructure differs between thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and whether it adds significant information in predicting the mechanical strength of vertebrae in combination with QCT-based bone density. METHODS: Six mm cylindrical biopsies taken at mid-vertebral level, anterior to the center of the thoracic vertebra (T) 10 and the lumbar vertebra (L) 2 were studied with micro-computed tomography (microCT) in 165 donors (age 52 to 99 years). The segment T11-L1 was examined with QCT and tested to failure using a testing machine. RESULTS: The correlation of microstructural pr
