Osteoporosis in the young adult is a relatively rare phenomenon, and its diagnosis needs careful assessment of the affected person. The emphasis in the assessment of bone health is gradually shifting from a simple quantitative assessment of bone mineral density to one that includes bone quality. This may be particularly important in the young adult, where the aetiological cause of osteoporosis may be a primary genetic condition or secondary to another chronic condition.
Keywords: Osteoporosis; bone biopsy; chronic disease; dual energy absorptiometry; magnetic resonance imaging; peripheral quantitative computer tomography; young adult.