Measurement of bone mineral content in human vertebrae and hip by dual photon absorptiometry.

An instrument for clinical measurement of bone mineral content in the axial skeleton was constructed. Components include a modified dual probe scanner, a PDP-11 computer, a 153Gd source, and a NaTI) detector. The results were accurate and highly reproducible, and distinction of osteoporotic women from normal age-matched women was superior to that accomplished with single photon absorptiometry in the radius.