Can abdominal multi-detector CT diagnose spinal osteoporosis?

The aim of this study was to (1) generate quantitative CT (QCT) densitometric data based on routine abdominal multi-detector (MDCT) examinations and (2) investigate whether these data can be used to differentiate osteoporotic from healthy females. Twenty-five female patients (group A) with a history of radiotherapy were examined both with routine abdominal MDCT and standard QCT to generate a MDCT-to-QCT conversion equation. Twenty-one osteoporotic (group B) and 23 healthy female patients (group C) were also recruited in the study. Patients of groups B and C underwent routine abdominal MDCT examination for various clinical indications. Mean bone mineral density (BMD) in patients of group A was 103.4 mg/ml ± 32.8 with routine abdominal MDCT and 91.0 mg/ml ± 28.5 with QCT. Quantitative CT BMD_QCT values for patients in groups B and C were calculated utilizing the BMD_MDCT values derived from routine abdominal MDCT data sets and the MDCT to QCT conversion equation: \({\text{BMD}}_{{\text{QCT}}} = 0.78 \cdot {\text{BMD}}_{{\text{MDCT}}} + 10.13\). The calculated QCT densitometric data adequately differentiated osteoporotic from healthy females (area under ROC curve 0.828, p = 0.05). In conclusion, this study showed that in a group of female patients, QCT data derived from routine abdominal MDCT examinations discriminated osteoporotic from healthy subjects.