Electron microprobe investigation of calcium and phosphorus concentration in human bone trabeculae--both normal and in posttraumatic osteopenia.

With electron probe microanalysis the concentration of calcium and phosphorus was determined in central parts of tibia epiphyseal bone. Trabeculae from five men who had had a fracture of the ipsilateral tibia diaphysis were analyzed. The results were compared with those of five men who had suffered sudden death. There was an even distribution of calcium in the control cases: the mean value was 45 +/- 1 wt%. In the posttraumatic group of patients there was a lower mean and a greater scatter: 29 +/- 10 wt%. Also, the concentration of phosphorus was lower in the posttraumatic cases as compared with the cadavers.