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MRI-measured bone marrow adipose tissue is inversely related to DXA-measured bone mineral in Caucasian women

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Abstract

Introduction

Recent studies suggest that bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) might play a role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Previous research using regional magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods to measure BMAT has reported inconsistent findings on the relationship between BMAT and dual-energy absorptiometry (DXA)-measured bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods

In the present study, total body and pelvic BMAT were evaluated in 56 healthy women (age 18–88 yrs, mean ± SD, 47.4 ± 17.6 yrs; BMI, 24.3 ± 4.2 kg/m2) with T1-weighted whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). BMD was measured using the whole-body DXA mode (GE Lunar DPX, software version 4.7).

Results

A strong negative correlation was observed between pelvic BMAT and BMD (total-body BMD, R = −0.743, P < 0.001; pelvic BMD, R = −0.646, P < 0.001), and between total-body BMAT and BMD (total-body BMD, R = −0.443, P < 0.001; pelvic BMD, R = −0.308, P < 0.001). The inverse association between pelvic BMAT and BMD remained strong after adjusting for age, weight, total body fat, and menopausal status (partial correlation: total-body BMD, R = −0.553, P < 0.001; pelvic BMD, R = −0.513, P < 0.001). BMAT was also highly correlated with age (pelvic BMAT, R = 0.715, P < 0.001; total-body BMAT, R = 0.519, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

MRI-measured BMAT is thus strongly inversely correlated with DXA-measured BMD independent of other predictor variables. These observations, in the context of DXA technical concerns, support the growing evidence linking BMAT with low bone density.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants NIDDK R21 DK66360-01, R01 DK42618.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Obesity Research Center, St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, 1090 Amsterdam Avenue, 14H, New York, NY, 10025, USA

    W. Shen, J. Chen, M. Punyanitya & S. Heshka

  2. Nutritional Sciences Department, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    S. Shapses

  3. Merck & Co., Rahway, NJ, USA

    S. B. Heymsfield

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  1. W. Shen
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  2. J. Chen
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  3. M. Punyanitya
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  4. S. Shapses
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  6. S. B. Heymsfield
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Correspondence to W. Shen.

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Shen, W., Chen, J., Punyanitya, M. et al. MRI-measured bone marrow adipose tissue is inversely related to DXA-measured bone mineral in Caucasian women. Osteoporos Int 18, 641–647 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-006-0285-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-006-0285-9

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