The Correlation between Phalangeal Quantitative Ultrasonography and Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in Women with Premature Ovarian Failure

OBJECTIVES: With the growing demand for bone densitometry services there is a need for simple, cost-effective and ideally mobile devices which can identify individuals who are at risk of osteoporotic fracture. When new devices are evaluated, it is useful to examine the correlation with the established ‘gold standard’ technique of dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). This study examined the correlation between quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements performed at the phalanges and conventional DXA measurements of the spine and hip in women with premature ovarian failure – a known risk factor for osteoporosis. METHODS: Thirteen white Caucasian women suffering from premature ovarian failure and 19 age- and sex-matched controls were recruited into the study. DXA measurements were performed at the spine and hip, followed by quantitative ultrasonography at phalanges II–V of the non-dominant hand. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between the bone transit time (BTT) value from the Bone Profiler and bone mineral density measured at the spine (r=0.66). The spine Z-scores also correlated with many of the ultrasound values (r=0.44 – 0.63). Significant inverse correlations were observed between BMI, weight and ultrasound parameters (r = −0.48 to −0.78). CONCLUSION: We have reported moderate but significant correlations between phalangeal QUS and DXA parameters. The strongest correlation was observed between BTT and spine BMD, as well as between the Z-scores from the two devices. QUS parameters also demonstrated an inverse correlation with weight and BMI.