Quantitative ultrasound at the phalanges in healthy Italian men

In the last decade there has been a growing interest in quantitative ultras ound (QUS) techniques as a new method in the assessment of bone status in m etabolic bone diseases. Many studies have shown that QUS parameters can pre dict vertebral and femoral fracture risk in patients with osteoporosis. How ever, most of the studies were performed in women, whereas few data are ava ilable for men. The aim of this study was to build up a normative database on a healthy Italian male population for QUS parameters at the phalanges. A mplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS) and three parameters (first wave amplitude, FWA; signal dynamic, SDy; time frame, TF) characterizing the gr aphic trace of the ultrasound signal were measured at the phalanges in 286 healthy subjects (age range 20-87 years). First, the QUS device was adapted to compensate for the difference in finger thickness between men and women . Preliminary data on 150 healthy subjects showed a significant difference between the traditional and adapted device, and the latter was independent of finger thickness variations. AD-SoS showed a significant (p<0.001) decre ase with aging, expressed by a second-order polynomial equation. The peak v alue (2122 m/s) was observed in the fourth decade; thereafter it decreased to 1980 m/s at the ninth decade. Likewise, FWA and SDy were significantly ( p<0.001) reduced after the fourth decade, whereas TF remained stable over t ime until the last decade. In conclusion, in men AD-SoS showed a negative t rend with aging. The pattern with aging of parameters characterizing the gr aphic trace was different from the pattern for AD-SoS, suggesting the possi bility of obtaining further information on phalanx bone physical propel tie s which could be useful in the differential diagnosis of metabolic bone dis eases and in the assessment of fracture risk.