Application of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure bone mass variables in adult rabbit vertebrae
1999
Norris, S.A. | Pettifor, J.M. | Biscardi, A. | Gray, D.A. | Buffenstein, R.
The rabbit could be a more appropriate animal model to use than the rat in bone metabolism studies, for the rabbit attains true skeletal maturity. However, there are no normative Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) derived bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) data on the rabbit. Therefore, our aim was two-fold, firstly to define a methodology to successfully use DXA to measure precisely bone area (BA), BMC and BMD of the rabbit spine, and secondly to present normative bone mass data on adult (4 month post-skeletal maturity) rabbit vertebrae (L1-L7). Twenty-four female New Zealand White rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fed on a standard diet (1.1% calcium) were used in our investigation: age 13 months old and weight 3.77 +/- 0.33kg (3.15-4.42kg). BA, BMC and BMD of the rabbit vertebrae were successfully measured by a new generation fan-beam DXA (QDR-4500, Hologic, USA) using small-animal software, whole body scan. We found the mean BA, BMC and BMD of the rabbit vertebrae to be 2.6332 +/- 0.3085cm2, 0.9170 +/- 0.1121g, and 0.3487 +/- 0.0243g/cm2 respectively. In addition, L6 and L7 had significantly greater BA, BMC, BMD, ash weight, and mineral content than L1 and L2 (p<0.05). Our results indicate that the methodology described using a new generation fan-beam DXA with small animal software offers an appropriate means to measure in vivo BMC and BMD of the rabbit spine--provided that the intrinsic precision of the DXA machine, the height of the animal above the scanning table, the position of the animal, and the scanning region of interest is meticulously controlled.
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