Architecture of cortical bone determines in part its remodelling and structural decay

Abstract

Bone remodelling accelerates and becomes unbalanced after menopause; less bone is deposited than resorbed from the surface of canals traversing the cortex. The canals enlarge so the intracortical surface area enlarges. We hypothesized that cortical bone with a larger internal surface area, due to more or larger canals, is more liable to being remodelled, further enlarging the internal surface area and facilitating more remodelling and structural deterioration. For 95 monozygotic twin pairs aged 40-61. years, we measured internal cortical surface areas and structure of the distal tibia using high resolution peripheral computed tomography, and three circulating bone remodelling markers. Using ..