Comparison of Morphological Measurements Extracted From Digitized Dental Radiographs With Lumbar and Femoral Bone Mineral Density Measurements in Postmenopausal Women

• Published in: Journal of periodontology (1970) 2000-03, Vol.71 (3), p.335-340
• Main Authors: Shrout, M.K., Hildebolt, C.F., Potter, B.J., Brunsden, T.K.B., Pilgram, T.K., Dotson, M., Yokoyama‐Crothers, N., Hauser, J., Cohen, S., Kardaris, E., Civitelli, R., Hanes, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Alveolar Process - diagnostic imaging; Bone Density; Dentistry; Female; femur; Femur - anatomy & histology; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; lumbar vertebrae; Lumbar Vertebrae - anatomy & histology; Mandible - diagnostic imaging; Maxilla - diagnostic imaging; Middle Aged; Periodontal Pocket - diagnostic imaging; Postmenopause; Radiography, Bitewing; Radiography, Dental, Digital; Space life sciences; Statistics as Topic
• ISSN: 0022-3492; 1943-3670
• DOI: 10.1902/jop.2000.71.3.335

Background: We set out to determine whether morphologic measurements extracted from digitized images of bite‐wing radiographs correlated with lumbar and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) measurements in 45 postmenopausal women who had no or only mild periodontal disease (no probing depths >5 mm). Methods: Lumbar spine and femoral BMDs were determined by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. Vertical bite‐wing radiographs were taken and digitized. Crestal and apical regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on the digital images of the maxillary and mandibular alveolar bone on the patient's right and left sides. For each patient, a single morphologic measurement was made for each of 8 ROIs. Correlation analysis was performed to determine the strengths of the relationships between the morphologic measurements made at the 8 locations and between these morphologic measurements and BMD measurements. Results: The correlations (r) between the morphologic operator (MO) measurements and lumbar spine and femoral BMDs were weak (mean r = 0.02, range = 0.32 to –0.26) and not statistically significant, with no clear trends discernible. Correlations between MO measurements made at the 8 alveolar sites were also weak (mean r = 0.05, range = 0.35 to –0.38) and not statistically significant. Conclusions: The MO measurements used in this study were weakly correlated with lumbar spine and femoral BMDs, with no clear trends discernible in this population of postmenopausal women with no or mild periodontal disease. J Periodontol 2000; 71:335‐340.