DENSITOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN CALCANEUS

A densitometric study was performed on 50 dry calcanei to assess bone mineral density (BMD) in the constituent regions of the bone. In the l ateral projection, the area with the highest BMD was the anterosuperio r region, where the greatest concentration of trabeculae occurs. The a reas with the least BMD were the intermediate or retrothalamic and the anteroinferior regions, where the neutral triangle is situated. In th e dorsoplantar projection, a greater BMD was observed in the intermedi ate and middle regions, whereas the anterior region showed the lowest BMD. These results conform to the arrangement previously described for the trabecular system. It is concluded that bone densitometry, measur ed by dual x-ray absorptiometry, is useful for assessing trabecular ar chitecture of the calcaneus.