Characterization of Cortical Porosity in Patients With Cushing's Syndrome by High‐Resolution Computed Microtomography

ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to evaluate cortical porosity through high‐resolution peripheral quantitative microtomography in a group of 46 patients, 23 controls, and 23 patients with Cushing's syndrome along the aging process, all women. All patients, in vivo, were submitted to the medical care protocol of the “Clementino Fraga” University Hospital, 020–213. Control patients are female in the age group from 37 to 82 years, who did not have fractures in lower and upper limbs, all of them showing good health. Patients with Cushing's syndrome were in the age group from 29 to 72 years. The results showed that the amount of pores in the cortical bone of patients with Cushing's syndrome increased with age, and there was also an increase in the diameter of these pores; however, a decrease in the border between cortical and trabecular bone was observed. Increase in cortical porosity with aging was also observed in the control group. The disease analyzed is not very common, making it difficult to analyze a larger group of individuals at this Hospital.