To provide another effective method of surveying osteoporosis, authors introduced the calcaneal trabecular pattern as an index of osteoporosis. We reviewed the roentgenograms of 144 patients with ankle or hip joint fracture.

The trabecular pattern in the cacaneum(expressed as the calcaneal index) and that in the upper end of the femur(Singhs index) were well correlated, and both indices have a inverse correlation with age.

The calcaneal index did not reveal any correlation with the type of ankle joint fractures, but it was estimated to provide useful information for ankle joint fractures in selection of treatment mode including fixation method and prediction of the prognosis.