Summary:
Prevention of fractures brings about the effort to eliminate their potential causes. Osteoporosis syndrome belongs
to the most frequent causes of the bone fractures. The use of densitometric methods may bring an overestimation of
the bone quantity. Because of the independent contribution to mechanical resistance, the bone quality needs to be
also evaluated. Qualitative changes of the bone can occur at the level of the bone as an organ, or at levels of its
components - cortex, spongiosis and bone matrix. Bone quality is influenced mainly genetically; however, it can
deteriorate also with age or in some diseases. Measurement of the bone quality is not yet practically accessible. Some
ultrasonographic methods have a character of qualitative assessment. Osteoporosis can worsen the bone quality at
different levels.
Key words:
bone, bone quality, bone quantity, trabecular bone, cortical bone.
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