The densities of the trabecular bone of two or three lumbar vertebral
bodies in twenty adolescents, twelve to eighteen years old, who had
Scheuermann disease were measured by quantitative computed tomography.
These densities were then compared with those for the same vertebrae of
twenty age, sex, and race-matched adolescents who were examined by computed
tomography because of trauma. The same scanner and phantom were used in all
examinations. Both the adolescents who had Scheuermann disease and the
control patients were in good health before the quantitative
computed-tomography examination and had not been taking any medications.
The density of the trabecular bone density in the patients who had
Scheuermann disease was not significantly different (p = 0.28) from that in
the controls. There also were no significant differences between the
patients and the controls with regard to height, weight, surface area, or
body-mass index.