Diagnosis of osteoporosis in children

Abstract

From that endorsed in the 1990s the use of the pediatric bone assessment through DXA software began to establish some concepts to arrive at a correct interpretation of bone mineral density in this population. This review describes each of the elements to take into account when diagnosing a bone mineral density diminished for the age, such as among others the assessment by the Z-score and not the T-score and the history of bone fractures -considering for the diagnosis of osteoporosis only to fractures of long bones or vertebral crushing-. Also stresses the DXA changes according to the puberal stadium, sex, bone age, among others.
In addition describes those diseases which must be an assessment of mineral metabolism, it not only evaluated by the DXA, but also by the corresponding laboratory, whose values differ from the adult population as well as according to age and sex.