How Temperature Affects Bone Density Measurements
Author Information
Author(s): Dirk Wähnert, Konrad Hoffmeier, Gabriele Lehmann, Rosemarie Fröber, Gunther O. Hofmann, Thomas Mückley
Primary Institution: Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
Hypothesis
Does the temperature of bone specimens influence the measured bone mineral density (BMD) using DXA?
Conclusion
Bone density measurements should be standardized to either thawed or frozen specimens, as temperature changes affect the results.
Supporting Evidence
- 14 out of 19 specimens showed a decrease in BMD after thawing.
- The total-BMD of frozen specimens was significantly higher than that of thawed specimens.
- The study recommends standardizing BMD measurements to either frozen or thawed states.
Takeaway
When measuring how dense bones are, it's important to keep them at the same temperature, either frozen or thawed, because changing temperatures can give different results.
Methodology
DXA measurements were taken on 19 fresh-frozen human femora in both frozen and thawed states to compare bone mineral density.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the small sample size and the specific conditions under which measurements were taken.
Limitations
Only 19 specimens were used, and results may vary with different soft tissue simulations.
Participant Demographics
Five male and five female donors with a mean age of 73.7 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.006
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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