Histomorphometric analysis of bone in metabolic bone disease.

Most of the tools necessary for a detailed study of bone remodeling are now available. These methods will enable us to substitute simple surface-based histomorphometry with pertinent derived variables that reveal more information about the processes going on. Because of the inherent variability of the methods, bone histomorphometry is less well suited for investigations in single individuals. However, in terms of basic investigations of cell and tissue activity in grouped materials of patients with metabolic bone disease and the evaluation of treatment regimens in these materials, bone histomorphometric investigations still yield the most detailed analyses.