Correlations of the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) and Three Panoramic Indices Using Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) Bone Densitometry

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians (OSTA) and three panoramic indices in relation to z-score and t-score values using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) bone densitometry. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of the OSTA index were also measured using the QUS tool to evaluate the method’s performance in identifying people at risk of osteoporosis. The study employed a cross-sectional design with 387 participants (190 men, 197 women). Patients’ mandibular cortical indexes (MCI), mandibular cortical widths (MCW), and panoramic mandibular indexes (PMI) were measured from panoramic images. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were calculated using an OSTA index cutoff of ≤−1 and a t-score of ≤−1.0 for the QUS bone densitometry. The coefficient correlation of the OSTA index with the z-score (r = −0.563, p < 0.001) and t-score (r = −0.740, p < 0.001) shows a higher value than the MCI, MCW, and PMI, per the QUS. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC values with a cutoff t-score of ≤−1.0 per the QUS in men was 90%, 50%, and 0.812, and in women, 96.8%, 30%, and 0.862. The OSTA index is a simple method that can be used in general dental practice.