ABSTRACT
Osteoporosis is the x-ray image of osteopenia—a diminution of the bone mass volume. Although pathologic in younger people, osteoporosis is a normal physiologic situation in elderly persons, particularly women. Yet osteoporosis has always been considered to be pathologic, and the word osteoporosis is used every day in orthopedic clinics. A homogeneous diminution of bone density under x-ray can also be the product of a reduction of bone tissue calcification, a disease called osteomalacia, which is always a pathologic situation.
