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DEFINITION
". . . too little bone in the bone."
Albright F, Reifenstein EC, 19481
| Normal Bone Structure | Deteriorated Bone Structure |
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| Dempster, D. W. et al. A simple method for correlative light and scanning electron microscopy of human iliac crest bone biopsies: Qualitative observations in normal and osteoporotic subjects. J. Bone Miner Res. 1996; 1:15Ð21 | |
" A disease characterized by low bone mass, microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue leading to enhanced bone fragility, and a consequent increase in fracture risk."
A Consensus Conference convened by the National Institutes of Health in 1990 defined osteoporosis as described here.2 Osteoporosis means "porous bone," and is a specific form of osteopenia (reduced bone volume) that is accompanied by cortical porosity.3 Osteoporotic bone has a normal ratio of mineralized to unmineralized bone in the face of an absolute reduction in bone volume. Osteomalacia (soft bone) is another form of osteopenia, and is characterized by a reduced ratio of mineralized to unmineralized bone.3 Unmineralized bone is bone matrix (formed by osteoblasts, the bone-forming cells) that has not been fortified by calcium crystals.
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