Bone Density, Geometry, Microstructure, and Stiffness: Relationships Between Peripheral and Central Skeletal Sites Assessed by DXA, HR-pQCT, and cQCT in Premenopausal Women.

The article discusses a study on the extent measurements obtained at peripheral sites reflect the bone density, microstructure and mechanical competence at clinically relevant sites. Female subjects from a cross-sectional case-control study of idiopathic osteoporosis in premenopausal women were included in the study. It concludes that the stiffness of central and peripheral skeletal sites were significantly related with each other while the analyses of peripheral skeletal sites are good indicators of stiffness of the lumbar spine and proximal femur.