Changes in the main tensile trabecular group (Gallois' and Bosquette's arch bundle) as a predictor of osteoporotic femur head fracture
Pastremoli, A.; Ruggeri, F.
La Radiologia Medica 93(1-2): 45-50
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-8362 PMID: 9380866 Document Number: 483625
Reduced bone strength in osteoporotic femoral neck fractures can be ascribed to the loss of the mechanical properties of the trajectorial trabeculae of the cancellous bone in the proximal femur. Of them, the Gallois' and Bosquette's arch bundle, or the main tensile trabecular group, has particular diagnostic importance. We studied 25 femoral neck fractures in people aged 62 to 95 years, mostly women (22 patients) and classified the osteoporotic status of the proximal femur according to Singh index (grades IV, III, II, I). The regressive changes exhibited by the main tensile trabecular group were an early depauperation of the trajectorial trabeculae (7 cases), evolving into bundle disruption (13 cases) and then into its complete disappearance (5 cases). No correlation was found between age and anatomical changes in the patients experiencing physical activity, not even in our oldest patients. These radiologic studies provide detailed information on the main tensile trabecular group changes which can thus be identified as a good predictor of osteoporotic fractures of the femoral neck.