Bone mineral assessment by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in patients with coxarthrosis.

Forty patients with unilateral osteoarthritis of the hip were studied with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to quantify disuse osteopenia in their affected leg by examining the proximal femur and tibia. Bone loss was assessed as a percentage of the contralateral value which compares bone mineral density of the affected and normal sides. The percentage contralateral value in the femoral neck and Ward's triangle was 113% and 118% respectively, while that in the tibia was 75%. Bone loss in the proximal tibia of the affected leg could be of value in assessing gait since it correlates with the gait parameters on the hip rating scale. By contrast, bone mineral increase in the proximal femur and correlates only with the degree of valgus deformity of the femoral neck.