Bone Densitometry in Growing Patients: Guidelines for Clinical Practice

Bone Densitometry in Growing Patients is the first resource available for expert opinion on the use of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for evaluating bone density in children and adolescents. Written by internationally recognized pediatric bone researchers and clinicians, this volume is unique in its specific attention to the myriad challenges of measuring and evaluating bone density in the pediatric patient. There is sufficient technical detail presented in this volume to enable the establishment of a pediatric DXA center or the proper utilization of DXA scan information in current clinical practice.
The volume opens with a brief introduction to general concepts relating to bone health in children and an overview of all currently available densitometry techniques used in evaluating children. Subsequent chapters focus on indications for DXA studies in children and the optimal methods for acquiring, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting these scans. Current and future research applications of DXA and other modalities for studying pediatric bone health are also discussed. An extensive appendix provides useful pediatric reference data, sample forms for use in acquiring and reporting DXA data, listings of useful and relevant pediatric bone websites, and a comprehensive bibliography. This volume, which is the first pediatric DXA reference published, optimizes the accurate and responsible use of DXA in children as a tool in the clinical management of bone fragility, and thereby paves the way for the future development of appropriate intervention and treatment programs for this population.