Characterisation of Trabecular Bone Structure - Skeletal Aging and Osteoporosis: Biomechanics and Mechanobiology - page 31

Characterisation of Trabecular Bone
Structure
Ian H. Parkinson and Nicola L. Fazzalari
Abstract The characterisation of trabecular bone structure has until recently
relied on morphometric analysis of histological sections although there is now
wide availability of bench top non-destructive X-ray-based imaging with the
ability to resolve trabecular elements at resolution on the order of *10 microns.
The advent of non-destructive X-ray-based imaging, such as micro-computed
tomography (micro-CT) has enabled measurements from image datasets, repre-
senting the three-dimensional structure of trabecular bone. Ex vivo studies into
trabecular bone structure in osteoporosis have mainly focused on clinically rele-
vant skeletal sites, such as the proximal femur, the distal radius and vertebral
bodies. In vivo, the iliac crest and the sternum have been used to obtain material
for the diagnosis of metabolic bone diseases including osteoporosis. Metaphyseal
bone structure is determined early in development as secondary trabeculae emerge
from the primary spongiosa in the epiphyseal plates during endochondral bone
growth. After closure of the epiphyseal growth plates at skeletal maturity, bone
remodelling becomes the predominant means by which bone is added or removed
from the trabecular compartment. From the time of attainment of peak bone mass,
studies show that there is a decrease in trabecular bone volume through to older
age in both sexes, although not at all sites and not uniformly for males and
females. Gender specific changes in trabecular bone are most evident at and after
the menopause in females, which is associated with decreased estrogen and
associated with reduced androgen production in males. The consequence of
I. H. Parkinson ( & ) N. L. Fazzalari
Bone and Joint Research Laboratory, SA Pathology,
Adelaide, SA, Australia
e-mail: [e-mail]
I. H. Parkinson N. L. Fazzalari
Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, University of Adelaide,
Adelaide, SA, Australia