[The average thickness of trabecular osteons in the iliac crest in normal subjects].

The mean wall thickness (MWT), measured by the Kragstrup technique, and the trabecular bone volume (TBV), have been measured in 50 transiliac undecalcified bone biopsies performed in 50 subjects who died suddenly (traffic accident, carbon monoxide, poisoning). Diseases affecting the skeleton were excluded in the autopsies. Our values for MWT were similar to those found in previously published studies except those of Kragstrup's group, in which values are higher. As our measuring technique was that of Kragstrup, these results could be explained either by a difference in staining methods (Solocromo cyanine R and Goldner method respectively) or by the differences in populations considered (French and Danish respectively). Our study confirmed a significant decrease in MWT and TBV with age and a positive correlation between MWT, TBV and age.