Access

Research Highlights

Nature Reviews Rheumatology 1, 11 (1 November 2005) | doi:10.1038/ncprheum0013

Links between bone mineral density, marrow perfusion and marrow fat content

Rebecca Ireland

Griffith JF et al. (2005) Vertebral bone mineral density, marrow perfusion, and fat content in healthy men and men with osteoporosis: dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging and MR spectroscopy|[nbsp]|Radiology 236: 945–951 Previous studies have shown age-related changes in perfusion and fat content of vertebral marrow and have suggested that reduced perfusion might shift the balance between osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity, thereby altering bone density. Using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), MRI and spectroscopy, researchers in Hong Kong investigated a possible relationship between bone-marrow fat content, perfusion and bone mineral density (BMD).