NOTE: This is an alternative method to DXA. The decreased radiation dose and cost
make DXA preferable
1 Prior exams performed using QCT
2 Child under age of 18
3 Severe spinal degeneration
4 Vertebral compression fractures
5 Spinal deformities
6 Scoliosis
7 Previous spinal surgeries
8 Chronic steroid therapy (prednisone, corticosteroids)
9 Large body habitus (>35 BMI)
10 Monitoring treatment response
10.1 Hyperparathyroidism
10.2 Osteoporosis
10.3 Steroid therapy
11 Evaluating bone quality
Vicente Gilsanz, Francisco J. Perez, Patricia P. Campbell,
Frederick J. Dorey, David C. Lee, and Tishya A. L. Wren
Quantitative CT Reference Values for Vertebral Trabecular Bone
Density in Children and Young Adults Radiology January 2009
250:222-227
H. K. Genant, K. Engelke, and S. Prevrhal Advanced CT bone
imaging in osteoporosis Rheumatology (2008) 47(suppl 4):
iv9-iv16 doi:10.1093/rheumatology/ken180
Huda, W, Morin, R L Patient doses in bone mineral densitometry
Br J Radiol 1996 69: 422-42 ‘BMD patient doses are at the lower
end of the exposure range encountered in diagnostic radiology.
As a result, radiation dose is not a primary factor in choosing
the method for BMD determination
Li N et al. “Comparison of QCT and DXA: Osteoporosis Detection Rates in
Postmenopausal Women”. International Journal of Endocrinology. Vol 2013; p 1-5.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2013/895474
Finkelstein JS, Yu EW. “Patient Education: Bone Density Testing”. Up To
Date. Sep 29, 2023.
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/bone-density-testing-beyond-the-basics/print#:~:text=Osteoporosis%20is%20much%20more%20common,types%20of%20bone%20density%20tests