Study of the Diagnostic Value of Stable Calcium Isotope Profiling in Bone and Calcium Disorders

Endogenous Calcium Stable Isotope Study (eCaSIS): Evaluation of MC-ICP-MS as a Diagnostic Tool for Metabolic Bone Diseases and Disorders of Calcium Metabolism

The purpose of this study is to determine whether mass spectrometry analysis of stable (non-radioactive) calcium isotopes in plasma or urine samples can help in the diagnosis of bone and calcium disorders.

The aim of this pilot study is to explore the diagnostic value of MC-ICP-MS (multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) or TIMS (thermal ionization mass spectrometry) measurement of endogenous stable calcium isotopes in plasma and urine samples in patients seen during routine clinical care at the outpatient clinics (incl. Center for Metabolic Bone Diseases) of the University Hospitals Leuven.

Inclusion Criteria:

• DXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) T-score known clinically to be = or < -2.5 OR presence of low-energy osteoporotic fractures (i.e. excluding those of the skull, fingers and toes) [for osteoporosis and calcium malabsorption patients]

Exclusion Criteria:

• inability to provide written informed consent