Assessment of Bone and Muscle Microarchitecture Using HR-pQCT and pQCT in Patients With Bone and Muscle Loss Conditions

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating bone and muscle microarchitecture using advanced medical devices to better understand fracture risks linked to conditions such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, neurological disorders, and other related pathologies. This study highlights the limits of current methods like DXA scanning and aims to provide deeper insights into structural changes like cortical porosity and trabecular volume loss, which are important in diseases like post-menopausal osteoporosis and sarcopenia. The research also focuses on how conditions like renal insufficiency and endocrinopathies affect bone health and includes a control group to distinguish disease effects from normal aging changes. The study uses devices including the Xtreme CT HR-pQCT, peripheral quantitative computed tomography pQCT, and Lunar DEXA. These devices will measure bone density and architecture at various body sites such as the forearm, shin, and metacarpophalangeal joints, especially in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Participants are divided into groups at risk for osteoporosis and those not at risk, with bone quality and quantity described using these imaging technologies. The assessments occur on a single day for each participant. Participants will undergo detailed imaging tests with HR-pQCT, pQCT, and DEXA to measure various bone parameters such as volumetric mineral density, trabecular thickness, cortical porosity, and bone mineral content. These measures will help describe bone strength and structure in relation to different diseases. The study is non-randomized and open-label, with results expected to improve fracture risk estimation and inform management strategies. The total participation time primarily involves the initial imaging assessments, and safety monitoring is inherent in the non-invasive procedures used.

Comparison of Bone Microarchitecture Analysed by HRpQCT and pQCT in Pathologies With Bone Loss and/or Muscle Loss