Skeletal bone mineral density in children and adolescents

Modern diagnostic equipment - roentgen bone densitometers have allowed to study the mineral density (MD) of skeleton and its separate segments from the very birth. This has broadened the knowledge of age-related MD changes in children and adolescents to a considerable extent. All the aspects of this problem are considered thoroughly in the review. There are sufficiently convincing data of the fact, that skeletal MD both in boys and girls is the same in the period before puberty. In the period of puberty intensive growth of bones and their mineralization take place. Genital differences at this time are observed clearly. Puberty delay leads to insufficient bone mineralization. The problem of the influence of body mass, body height and area on MD is still unclear. The problem of the necessity to create the regional data bases of age-related standard is quite obvious. Only in this case the results of examination will reflect a true situation in a specific region