Abstract #0809

Higher Lumbar Bone Mineral Density Is Associated with Narrowed Intervertebral Disc Space, But Not Higher Hip Bone Mineral Density: A Study in 359 Elderly Subjects Using an 8-Level MRI Based Disc Degeneration Grading System.

Yi Xiang Wang¹, J F. Griffith¹, W L. Kwok², C S. Leung², H T. Ma^2,3, D K. Yeung¹, A T. Ahuja¹, P C. Leung²

¹Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Organ Imaging, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong; ²Jockey Club Centre for Osteoporosis Care and Control, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital; ³Department of Electronic and Information Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, China

The correlation between osteoporosis and intervertebral disc degeneration in the spine is not fully understood. In this study the relationship between BMD and disc narrowing is analysed in 359 healthy elderly subjects. The results show there was no significant relationship between hip BMD and intervertebral disc space narrowing. With 48 male subjects who had both DXA and QCT, except disc L1/L2, lumbar disc were more likely to have a narrowed space when lumbar BMD was higher. This observed association could be lumbar spine BMD specific since hip BMD better represents systemic BMD.