Proximal humerus fractures are commonly observed in postmenopausal women. The goal of this study was to investigate menopause-related changes in cortical structure of the humeral head.
Clinical computed tomography (CT) scans of 75 healthy women spanning a wide range of ages (20–72 years) were analyzed. For each subject, cortical bone mapping (CBM) was applied to create a color three-dimensional (3D) thickness map for the proximal humerus. Nine regions of interest (ROIs) were defined in three walls of the humeral head. Cortical parameters, including the cortical thickness (CTh), cortical mass surface density (CM), and the endocortical trabecular density (ECTD), were measured.
Compared to premenopausal women, postmenopausal women were characterized by a significantly lower CTh and CM value in the lateral part of the greater tuberosity. Similar changes were only found in ROI 4, but not in ROIs 5–6 in the lesser tuberosity. Linear regression analysis revealed that the CTh and CM value of ROIs 1, 3, and 4 were negatively associated with age. These results showed that menopause-related loss in CTh and CM was mainly in the greater tuberosity besides the proximal part of the lesser tuberosity. Trabecular bone variable measured as ECTD showed a notably lower value in ROIs 1–9 in postmenopausal vs. premenopausal group. Inverse linear associations for ECTD and age were found in ROIs 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9, indicating no site-specific differences of endocortical trabecular bone loss between the greater and lesser tuberosity.
Menopause-related cortical loss of the humeral head mainly occurred in the lateral part of the greater tuberosity. The increased rate of humeral bone loss in the greater tuberosity may contribute materially to complex proximal humerus fractures.