Idiopathic osteoporosis in a three-year-old girl. Follow-up over a period of 6 years by computed tomography bone densitometry (CT).

In a girl suffering from idiopathic transient osteoporosis the development of vertebral deformation and recovery could be followed from the age of 3.4 to 9.3 years. Computed bone densitometry (CT) revealed values below normal for trabecular bone density (-2.6 SD at 4.3 years and -2.8 SD at 5.3 years) during the clinically symptomatic phase of the disease and normalization after the age of 6 years (-0.2 SD at 6.7 and 9.3 years). Cortical bone mineral parameters measured by CT and metacarpal bone measurements from conventional X-rays showed values at the lower range of normal and only a weak correlation with clinical symptoms, vertebral deformation and recovery, respectively. CT may probably allow to diagnose osteoporosis before the appearance of deformities or fractures; in milder forms of osteoporosis the diagnosis may be possible by CT only.