Akira Kitayama

Bone mineral measurement in Japan.

Various methods for evaluating bone mineral in appendicular, and axial bone or in the whole skeleton have recently become available. As bone mineral is one of the major determinants of bone strength, its exact measurement should be useful for the diagnosis of osteoporosis, as well as for the prediction of fracture risk and monitoring of therapeutical response.The aims of this paper are to review the fundamental performance of bone mineral measurements, the improvements in DXA systems, and the progress in site-specific bone mineral instruments for the radius and calcaneus used in Japan, and to introduce diagnostic criteria for primary osteoporosis, and report on annual rates of bone loss in Japanese females.

The Present State and Future Prospects for Bone Mass Measurement

Many bone measurement techniques have been developed and used in the early detection of bone loss, the prediction of fracture, and the monitoring of therapeutical responses in osteoporosis. Each technique has its own principle and fundamental features such as the site of measurement (e.g., appendicular or axial bone), precision, accuracy, spatial resolution, data-acquisition time, and radiation dose. Each also differs in its performance in the clinical practice of osteoporosis. The purpose of this chapter is to review the present state and future prospects for the use of bone mass measurements clinically.