Changes in the Optical Density of the First Rib and the Coracoid Process of Scapula in Men Depending on Age and Chest Shape According to Computed Tomography

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of changes in the optical density of bone tissue of the first rib and the base coracoid process of scapula in men of different ages without signs of osteoporosis depending on chest shape. Material and methods. The study was performed on tomograms of the chest of 191 men aged from 20 to 70 years. Measurements on tomograms were carried out in the axial plane using the RadiAnt program. The scans measured the optical density of the first rib tubercle, the distal bony part of the first rib, and the base of scapula coracoid process. All measurements were taken in men randomized by age and chest shape. The results of osteometry were processed by statistical methods. Results. The chest shape determines age-related changes in the optical density of bone tissue. In individuals with intermediate and transverse chest shapes, a decrease in the optical density of bone tissue at the base of scapula coracoid process begins to appear at the age of 30–50 years. These changes are most pronounced for the base of coracoid process, regardless of the chest shape, at the age of over 50 years. A decrease in the optical density of the first rib tubercle manifests over the age of 50 years in individuals with intermediate and transverse chest shape. In individuals with a gracile chest shape, the optical density of the bone structure is more stable. The tubercle of the first rib, along with the base of coracoid process, can serve as a prognostic area in the diagnosis of systemic osteoporosis in individuals with transverse and intermediate chest shape. Conclusion. A deterministic approach to the described indicators of changes in the optical density of bone tissue of the first rib and scapula in individuals with different chest shapes, according to SCT tomograms, objectively helps to predict and subsequently verify the manifestations of osteoporosis. The dependences we have identified on changes in bone tissue density and in the structure of correlations between the studied parameters of the first rib and the coracoid process indicate pronounced somatotypic variability, which must be taken into account when developing restorative treatment and predicting the course of orthopedic diseases in people of different age.