Poor accuracy of calcaneous ultrasounds in the selection of postmenopausal women affected by vertebral osteoporosis diagnosed by DXA

Aim: Bone Mineral Density (BMD) is the strongest skeletal predictor of fractures. DXA densitometric technique is the reference method to diagnose osteoporosis. Large prospective studies have confirmed that both Broad Band Ultrasound Attenuation (BUA) and Speed Of Sound (SOS) measurements at calcaneus predict vertebral fractures independently of densitometry. The aim of this study was to verify the capacity of calcaneal ultrasound (US) to detect women with vertebral osteoporosis diagnosed by DXA. Material and Methods: 453 women (aged 60-70 yrs), were investigated both with calcaneal US and spine DXA. WHO diagnostic criteria were applied both to DXA and US. Results: 202 and 251 women resulted osteoporotic and non osteoporotic at spine, respectively. Calcaneal US were not able to detect with sufficient accuracy the women diagnosed as osteoporotic at the spine (71-73 % of false negative and 11% of false positive results both for BUA and SOS). Conclusion: In conclusion, calcaneal US do not permit to individually diagnose vertebral osteoporosis