Sd. Stout et Rr. Paine, BONE REMODELING RATES - A TEST OF AN ALGORITHM FOR ESTIMATING MISSINGOSTEONS, American journal of physical anthropology, 93(1), 1994, pp. 123-129
Frost (1987a) proposed an algorithm for estimating the number of missi
ng osteons that correspond to observed osteon population densities (OP
D). Such an algorithm should allow more accurate estimates of bone rem
odeling rates for skeletal remains for which in vivo labeling is not p
ossible. In order to validate the algorithm, it was tested on an autop
sy sample of 44 ribs. Estimates of activation frequency (<(mu)over bar
>(RC)) and bone remodeling rate (V-f,V-r,V-t) using the new algorithm
are in reasonable agreement with age-matched tetracycline-based values
. Although mean values for activation frequencies (<(mu)over bar>)(RC)
and bone formation rate (V-f,V-r,V-t) generated by the algorithm were
generally lower, they fell below 1 standard error for only an age cat
egory that included all ages above the 5th decade. It is now appropria
te to apply the algorithm to archaeological skeletal remains. (C) 1994
Wiley-Liss, Inc.