Correlation of Mandibular Cortical Index with Bone Mineral Density and Serum Alkaline Phosphatase in Screening Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Diagnostic Evaluation
Anshul Aggarwal, Khurshid Alam, Rati GoyalAbstract
Background:
Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized by reduced bone mass and elevated fracture risk. Early diagnosis is difficult because the disease is usually asymptomatic until fractures occur. Panoramic radiography and the mandibular cortical index (MCI) may provide an economical screening method.
Objective:
To evaluate the association between MCI, bone mineral density (BMD), and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in postmenopausal women.
Methods:
This study comprised 50 postmenopausal women aged 50–72 years. MCI was assessed on panoramic radiographs, while BMD and serum ALP were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and ultraviolet (UV) kinetic methods, respectively. Data were analyzed by the Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Pearson’s correlation, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.
Results:
MCI was associated with T-score classification (
Conclusion:
MCI was significantly associated with BMD and ALP and may serve as a simple and economical screening tool for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.