[Ultrasound evaluation of the bone tissue of the proximal phalanges of hands in patients with suspected type I osteoporosis].

The authors assessed the effectiveness and reliability of a new ultrasound system for evaluating the quality of bone tissue in a series of female patients with suspected type I osteoporosis. Evaluation with ultrasound was performed at the distal metaphysis of the first phalanx of the long fingers of the non-dominant hand. The investigation involves the measurement of the AD-SoS and the evaluation of the screen trace of the US signal transmitted through the phalanx. The data supplied by US were compared with the measurement of BMC through DPA on the ultradistal radius performed on the same day. The study involved 94 patients of age 42 to 73 years. A positive correlation was found between AD-SoS and BMC, r = 0.75, and a negative correlation between AD-SoS and the age of the patients, r = -0.62. Ultrasound investigation enables correct identification in 78% of patients; in particular, none of the patients recognized as pathologic at ultrasound investigation figured as normal at DPA. The authors conclude that the system studied is reliable and supplies important information on the quality of bone tissue, and can usefully complement the methods for measuring BMC.