A roentgenologic study of cortical bone resorption in chronic renal failure.

Periosteal, intracortical, and endosteal resorptive changes were evaluated in both hands and the proximal radius in 161 chronic renal-failure patients by microradioscopy, radiographic morphometry, and photodensitometry. These changes were compared to abnormalities found in skeletal surveys. A combination of microradioscopy and morphometry of hand bones was sufficiently sensitive for early detection of bone loss in renal osteodystrophy in 61% of the patients. Intracortical resorption in metacarpals appeared to be a sign of more advanced renal osteodystrophy than subperiosteal resorption in phalanges. Photodensitometric findings in the radius generally agreed with microradioscopic and morphometric findings in hand bones.