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Positioning errors in bone mineral measurement

Physics Department, University of Aston, Birmingham B4 7ET

This excerpt was created in the absence of an abstract.

Several techniques have been described for estimating bone mineral by observing the transmission of X rays or low energy rays through parts of the skeleton. Frequently these measurements are made by scanning the ulna a few centimetres from the distal end. This type of observation is particularly useful for serial studies to observe the progress of disease or therapy. The dimensions of the bone at its distal end vary with position, as noted by Horsman and Leach (1974). It is therefore important to reposition the arm accurately, in respect to both longitudinal position and rotation, to ensure that the bone is scanned similarly each time.

By making observations on a number of ulnas obtained post-mortem we have measured the magnitude of errors likely to be caused by failure to reposition accurately.

^* Present address: Department of Physics, College of Sciences, University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Received for publication April 1, 1978.