The effect of fat on the measurement of bone mineral density by digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR-BMD).

OBJECTIVE: We have previously shown that surrounding fat causes an increase of up to 21% in bone mineral density (BMD) measured by Lunar 'Intelligent DXA' (iDXA), one of the latest generation dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanners [1]. The purpose of our study was to see if it was possible to avoid this artifact when measuring the BMD of metacarpals II, III, and IV by digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR). METHODS: We took X-rays of the bones of a cadaveric left hand which were immobilized in a wooden cradle to preserve an approximate in vivo configuration.