Characteristics of Different Bone Densitometry Techniques
| Technique | Regions of interest | Units reported | Precision (%CV) | Effective dose (μSv) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DXA | PA spine | BMD (g/cm2) | 1% | 1–10 |
| Proximal femur | 1%–2% | 1–10 | ||
| Total body | 1% | 3 | ||
| QCT | Spine | BMD (g/cm3) | 3% | 50–500 |
| pDXA | Forearm | BMD (g/cm2) | 1%–2% | 0.1 |
| Calcaneus | 1%–2% | 0.1 | ||
| pQCT | Forearm | BMD (g/cm3) | 1%–2% | 1–3 |
| RA | Phalanx | BMD (g/cm2) | 1%–2% | 10 |
| QUS | Calcaneus | BUA (dB/MHz) | 2%–5% | None |
| Calcaneus | SOS (m/s) | 0.1%–1% | None | |
| Tibia | SOS (m/s) | 1%–2% | None | |
| Multisite | SOS (m/s) | 1%–2% | None |
PA = posteroanterior; BUA = broadband ultrasonic attenuation; SOS = speed of sound.