Measurement of bone quality in growing male rats using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and bone ash content : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Animal Science at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Date
2001
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Massey University
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Abstract
Growing male rats have been considered and used as a model for bone growth and prevention of osteoporosis because of their high bone turnover and demand for calcium. Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) is a useful tool for identifying minimal changes in bone mineral density and has recently been adapted for use in small animal models. The objective of this trial was to identify the changes in Bone Mineral Density (BMD) in relation to age and to identify how BMD varies from site to site. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were split into six groups to allow measurements at one, two, three, four, five and six months of age (n=10 per group). At each time point a group of rats was scanned using a QDR4000 DEXA machine from Hologic. Duplicate BMD measurements were obtained for the whole body, spine and both femurs in vivo. The rats were then euthanased and the spine and both femurs were excised for ex vivo DEXA scanning and ashed calcium analysis. BMD increased almost linearly to four months and then formed a plateau. This indicates that from weaning to four months is an especially sensitive time for manipulating bone growth in male rats. There was a significant difference in BMD between groups (P<0.001), which is to be expected in growing rats. There was also a significant difference in BMD within groups (p<0.001), believed to be due to variation at two and five months of age. There was a very strong positive correlation between weight and BMD and age and BMD at all sites, indicating that BMD is a strongly related to both weight and age. All sites were strongly correlated to each other and to the ashed calcium values. The excised femur had a lower BMD value than the in vivo femur, although the two values were strongly correlated. This is believed to be due to differences in positioning and indicates that the two methods cannot be used interchangeably. These results indicate that bone mineral density is the gold standard for following changes in bone growth over time in the growing rat. Alternatively, ashed bone calcium content can be used, but only as a once off endpoint.
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Bone densitometry