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. 1979 Sep;17(3):267-71.
doi: 10.1038/sc.1979.52.

Bone and soft tissue changes in paraplegic patients

D A Hancock, G W Reed, P J Atkinson

Bone and soft tissue changes in paraplegic patients

D A Hancock et al. Paraplegia. 1979 Sep.

Abstract

The loss of bone mineral in 66 paraplegic patients has been measured in the lower femoral shaft by scanning the leg with a beam of mono-energetic radiation from 241Am. The profile of the transmitted radiation was used to determine a parameter which was related to bone mass. The bone mass of paraplegic patients was significantly lower than normal. Persistent paralysis does not lead to a continued fall in bone mass, but once it has fallen, bone mass remains constant. Soft tissues also showed a muscle/fat ratio was lower than normal.

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