Abstract
We investigated a possible correlation between the mean bone mineral density of the 2nd to 4th lumbar vertebrae (L2-4BMD) and the mean BMD of the head, ribs, pelvis and upper and lower extremities in the 32 patients. The dominant side of arm and leg in the 32 patients was right, aged 46 to 81 years. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Twenty-three of 32 patients was made a diagnosis of primary osteoporosis, 6 patients spondylosis deformans, 3 patients lumbar disc lesion. The results showed that L2-4BMD was positively correlated with the mean BMD of the right leg (r=0.781; p<0.001), the ribs on the right side (r=0.726; p<0.001), the ribs on the left side (r=0.719; p<0.001), the left leg (r=0.716; p<0.001), the right arm (r=0.692; p<0.001), the pelvis (r=0.672; p<0.001), and the mean BMD of the left arm (r=0.665; p<0.001). The correlation coefficiency between L2-4BMD and the BMD of the upper and lower extremities on the right side was higher than that between L2-4BMD and the BMD of the upper and lower extremities on the left side.
