Author Identifier (ORCID)
Anna Maria Markarian: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2863-1544
Dennis R. Taaffe: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6381-1597
Daniel A. Galvão: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8209-2281
Jodie Cochrane Wilkie: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1234-9579
Carolyn J. Peddle-McIntyre: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9913-4022
Robert Newton: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0302-6129
Abstract
Background: Understanding how bones adapt during growth is essential for promoting lifelong skeletal health. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) is a widely used imaging technique for assessing volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) in pediatric populations; however, conventional methods may obscure subtle cortical adaptations. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of shape-based cortical vBMD profiling, with an exploratory objective of assessing its sensitivity to inter-individual variation in lean mass index (LMI). Methods: Eighteen children (6–12 years) underwent pQCT scanning at the 38% and 66% tibial sites (distal and proximal diaphysis). Cortical vBMD was quantified across three concentric compartments (endocortical, mid-cortical, and pericortical). Differences in vBMD across compartments were assessed using one-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Quadratic models were fit, and participant-specific linear (slope) and quadratic (curvature) coefficients were extracted to characterize cortical vBMD profiles. Exploratory regression analyses examined associations between these coefficients and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived LMI. Results: Linear and quadratic coefficients were successfully extracted for all participants at both tibial sites, supporting the feasibility of shape-based cortical profiling. Significant differences in vBMD were observed across cortical compartments (p < 0.001). Quadratic models explained 65–72% of the variance in normalized vBMD, and the extracted shape coefficients captured inter-individual and site-specific variation associated with LMI, suggesting sensitivity to biologically meaningful differences in cortical mineral distribution. Conclusion: Shape-based cortical vBMD profiling using pQCT is feasible in children. With further refinement and validation in larger, diverse pediatric cohorts, this approach may offer a sensitive tool for investigating skeletal adaptations during growth.
Keywords
Bone mineral density, cortical bone, pediatric, peripheral quantitative computed tomography, radial distribution
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
6-1-2026
Volume
207
PubMed ID
41806653
Publication Title
Bone
Publisher
Elsevier
School
Exercise Medicine Research Institute / School of Medical and Health Sciences
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Markarian, A. M., Taaffe, D. R., Galvão, D. A., Wilkie, J. C., Peddle-McIntyre, C. J., Schiferl, D. J., & Newton, R. U. (2026). Shape-based profiling of cortical bone mineral density in growing children: A proof-of-concept pQCT study. Bone, 207, 117853. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2026.117853