Identification of postmenopausal women at risk of osteoporosis by trained general dental practitioners using panoramic radiographs

Taguchi Akira

Ohtsuka Masahiko

Nakamoto Takashi

Naito Kumiko

Tsuda Mikio

Kudo Yoshiki

Motoyama Eiso

Suei Yoshikazu

Tanimoto Keiji

Dentomaxillofacial Radiology

Background. Eroded inferior cortex of the mandible on panoramic radiographs may be useful for identifying postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD) or osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to assess whether trained general dental practitioners (GDPs) can identify postmenopausal women with undetected low skeletal BMD as well as spine fractures by panoramic radiographs in their clinics sufficiently. Methods. Of 455 women aged 50 years and older who visited the dental clinics of 22 trained GDPs and had panoramic radiographic assessment for the examination of dental diseases between June and December 2004, 168 postmenopausal women were diagnosed as having low skeletal BMD based on cortical erosion finding. Of these women, 39 women aged 50 to 84 years (mean [SD] age, 64.8 [7.4] years) with no previous diagnosis of osteoporosis participated in this study. BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Spine fractures were assessed on lateral radiographs obtained at the time of DXA assessment. Results. Two women (5.1%) had normal BMD (BMD T score more than -1.0), 21 women (53.9%) had osteopenia (BMD T score of -2.5 to -1.0) and 16 women (41.0%) had osteoporosis (BMD T score less than -2.5). Eight women (20.5%) had fractures at the thoracic spine or lumbar spine or both. Conclusions. Our results suggest that higher percentage of postmenopausal women with undetected low skeletal BMD as well as spine fractures may be identified based on trained GDPs' analyses of their panoramic radiographs.

osteoporosis

fracture

dentist

menopause

panoramic radiography

Medical sciences [ 490 ]

eng

British Institute of Radiology

Copyright (c) 2007 British Institute of Radiology

[ISSN] 0250-832X

[DOI] 10.1259/dmfr/31116116

[PMID] 17463099

[NCID] AA00625627

[DOI] http://dx.doi.org/10.1259/dmfr/31116116