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Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Diagnostic Tests
Bone Density Tests
A bone density test measures how many grams of bone mineral content are packed into a segment of bone (10). The higher the mineral content, the denser the bones are. Bone density equates to bone strength.
There are several different kinds of machines that can measure bone density; central machines measure the hip, spine, and total body, while peripheral machines measure the finger, wrist, kneecap, shin bone, and heel (11).
According to Dutch treatment guidelines, only four studies of bone density measurement are currently available, none of which contained data on the specificity or sensitivity of this test for CRPS diagnosis (12). In one of the studies, out of 60 patients with shin bone fractures, the 18 that developed CRPS had lower bone densities than those that did not develop CRPS (13).
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Updated December 20, 2007 |
