Efficacy of Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Diagnosing Osteoporosis

SUMMARY TITLE: "Efficacy of Cone Beam Computed Tomography derived radiomorphometric indices in screening of postmenopausal females for osteoporosis." RATIONALE: Osteoporosis is a disease of altered bone architecture affecting primarily elderly and middle-aged women and men, particularly post-menopausal women. It is responsible for a high number of fractures and poses a high financial burden in both developed and developing countries. In India, we are in a situation where an important, high- burden disease-osteoporosis is being neglected due to lack of facilities of detection, and unawareness about the other tools of assessing bone mineral density and fracture risk. Few researchers have explored the use of radiomorphometric indices of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and have concluded that these can be used to differentiate between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic patients. Increasing use of CBCT for various dental conditions, especially implant planning in older age group of patients, which is prone to osteoporosis, calls for the need for further exploration in this regard. The studies available in the literature are heterogenous in nature and reproducibility of the indices used has not been measured. Also, the sample size in each study was limited alongwith presence of selection bias. Thus, the present study will aim at assessing the efficacy of these indices in CBCT in an Indian population, the studies of which are sparse in literature, which shall aid in timely detection and therefore timely intervention to increase the quality of life and reduce morbidity and mortality occurring as a consequence of this disease. RESEARCH QUESTION: P: Population (Postmenopausal females with Osteoporosis i.e. DXA values below -2.5) I: Intervention (none) C: Control (Non-osteoporotic post-menopausal females) O: Outcome (CTCI, CTMI, CTI(S)and CTI(I) scores) T: Time Frame (1 year) S: Study Design (Cross sectional observational study) Setting in Haryana, India Are radiomorph