Changes in bone microarchitecture following kidney transplantation-Beyond bone mineral density

Abstract

Bone disease in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) is characterized by bone mineral density (BMD) loss but bone microarchitecture changes are poorly defined. In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated bone microarchitecture using non-invasive imaging modalities; high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and the trabecular bone score (TBS) following kidney transplantation. Eleven KTRs (48.3 ± 11.2 years) underwent MRI (tibia), pQCT (radius) and DXA at baseline and 12 months post-transplantation. Transiliac bone biopsies, performed at transplantation, showed 70% of patients with high/normal..