Assessment of Local Bone Quality of the Distal Radius Using a Novel Hard Tissue Diagnostic Instrument

Senile osteoporosis has been defined as a skeletal disorder characterized by a deterioration of bone matrix with an increase in susceptibility to fracture with increasing age (1). Studies have shown that over 25 million Americans are currently afflicted with osteoporosis and/or osteopoenia, with this number doubling by 2020. (2) (3) With the propensity for fracture being large in older osteoporotic patients, quantification of bone mineral density (BMD) is essential for proper implant selection in the event of a fracture. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is the clinical gold standard for BMD assessment; however, the hardware associated with this technique is neither portable nor appropriate for intraoperative use, and both of these qualities are occasionally necessary clinically.