Peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography: Measurement Sensitivity in Persons With and Without Spinal Cord Injury

Location of pQCT slices. (A) Scans were obtained at 4% of the distal tibia length, at 3mm distal to 4% (D), and at 3mm proximal to 4% (P). (B) Schematic detail of region surrounding the pQCT slices. Heavy lines indicate the center of each slice. Dashed lines denote the slice thickness (2.2mm).

(A) Mean tibia length ± SE for 7 able-bodied subjects measured by 4 raters over 2 trials. (B) Mean absolute error ± SE in tibia length and percent error in tibia length for 7 able-bodied subjects measured by 4 raters (trials 1 and 2 combined).

Representative examples of pQCT scans from the 4% tibia site in an SCI and an able-bodied subject. Note the extensive loss of trabecular lattice and the degree of muscular atrophy in the SCI limb.

pQCT BMD results. Dark gray bars are mean ± SE for the able-bodied subjects. Light gray bars are mean ± SE for the SCI subjects. (A) Trabecular BMD at the distal (D), 4%, and proximal (P) measurement sites. *Significant difference (P<.05) from the corresponding SCI slice. (B) Difference in BMD from the 4% slice for the distal (D) and proximal (P) sites. *Significant difference from the 4% BMD value (P<.05).