[Investigation of mineral density and the bone structure following 105 day experiment in an isolated environment (MARS-105)]

Abstract

Healthy volunteers' bone system investigation was performed before and after 105 days experiment in an isolated environment (MARS-105) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Volumetric bone mineral density (VBMD), bone mineral density (BMD), structural parameters of radius and tibia were evaluated. There were no significant BMD changes revealed in skeletal parts critical in terms of biomechanical properties. pQCT examination noted microarchitecture deterioration of radius that was reflected in decreasing of trabecular number and increasing of bone tissue inhomogeneity. Decreasing VBMD both cortical and trabecular bone were revealed for tibia. Unexpectedly, increasing oftrabecular number and decreasing of inhomogeneity were revealed for tibia. Experiment showed that only the complex investigation including DXA and pQCT measurements gives an idea about bone system changes under simulated experiment conditions.