Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Osteoporosis affects a large percentage of the elderly population. Since the disease is preventable, diagnostic techniques are of major importance. Furthermore, the dentist is the most regularly visited doctor in this population and panoramic radiographs are the most frequently used imaging modalities for these patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the radiomorphometric indices on panoramic radiographs of post-menopausal females.

Materials and methods: An assessment of nine indices was performed on dental panoramic radiographs in groups of postmenopausal women. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine was measured by absorptiometry criterions of T score were used to diagnose normal patients, patients with osteoporosis or osteopenia.

Results: Antegonial angle (AA), antegonial index (AI) and mental index (MI) were significantly smaller in individuals with low bone mass (P<0.05). Antegonial depth (AD) was significantly greater in osteoporotic difference among the three subgroups of mandibular cortical index (MCI). Multivariable logistic regression analysis used AI and AD indices to generate the following equation for probability of having osteoporosis for a new subjects: Z=5.4+(0.8×AD)−(1.8×AI).

Conclusion: Panoramic radiographs may be applicable for the early diagnosis of osteopenia in postmenopausal women. The smaller AI and greater AD were significantly associated with lower bone mass. Osteopenic women have a deeper antegonial region and smaller cortical width in the antegonial and mental region.