DUAL-ENERGY X-RAY ABSORPTIOMETRY OF THE HAND AND WRIST - A POSSIBLE TECHNIQUE TO ASSESS SKELETAL MATURATION - METHODOLOGY AND DATA IN NORMAL YOUTHS

Ninety five normal Caucasian subjects (51F, 44 M) aged from 2 to 25 y were measured at the hand and wrist level with a small DXA system (pDE XA(TM)) in order to obtain the normal values of the bone mineral conte nt (BMC, density (BMD) and projected area (A) of carpal (c) and metaca rpal (m) bones. BMDc ranged from 0.065 +/- 0.007 g/cm(2) to 0.365 +/- 0.035 g/cm(2) in females and 0.125 +/- 0.010 g/cm(2) in males. It pres ented a sharp change of increase rate at 15.5 and 17 y of age in girls and boys, respectively. Ac presented the same kind of evolution as BM Dc, but had a larger value dispersion. The second metacarpal bone had the highest BMCm value in 85% of females and 90% of males. The sum of BMCmi or Ami values (i = 1-5) and the projected mean density of the 5 metacarpal bones was well correlated with BMCc, Ac and BMDc, respectiv ely (r > 0.90). A volumetric mineral density, dmi, calculated for each of these bones, approximated to a cylinder, was correlated with age ( r > 0.85).