Correlations of calcaneal QUS with pQCT measurements at distal tibia and non-weight-bearing distal radius

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is used for prediction for risks of osteoporotic fractures at various skeletal sites, irrespective of weight-bearing or non-weight-bearing skeletons. In the current study, we investigated the correlation between calcaneal QUS measurements (BUA, VOS, and Soundness) and volumetric trabecular, cortical, and its integral bone mineral density (tBMD, cBMD, and iBMD) using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) of the weight-bearing distal tibia and non-weight-bearing distal radius in 198 healthy Chinese women between 40 and 62 years of age. Results showed that BUA, VOS, and Soundness measured by calcaneal QUS were significantly correlated with tBMD, cBMD, and iBMD of both distal tibia and distal radius (r = 0.210–0.447; all P < 0.01). The correlation coefficients of all the individual parameters between calcaneus and distal tibia were correspondingly higher (r = 0.214–0.447; all P < 0.01) than that of distal radius (r = 0.210–0.368; all P < 0.01). QUS Soundness showed the highest correlation (r = 0.447; P < 0.01) with tBMD of distal tibia when comparing with all other parameters between these two measurement devices. Stronger “within-device” correlations (r = 0.640–0.764; all P < 0.01) were found in pQCT measurements between distal tibia and radius. In addition, the largest and significant age-related decline was found in tBMD of the distal radius measured by pQCT and Soundness of the QUS measurement in the postmenopausal group. In conclusion, heel QUS measurement demonstrated slightly better correlation with trabecular bone of the weight-bearing skeleton than that of the non-weight-bearing skeleton measured by pQCT.