Researchers conducted a cohort study that looked back. For an investigation, they sought to determine if race, namely American white and American black, has anything to do with the cancellous to total bone ratio at the iliac crest. From January 1, 2014, to January 1, 2016, a retrospective review was conducted on 133 consecutive patients ages 18–75 who underwent a computed tomography scan of the pelvis at a single academic medical center. The participants in the cohort were 46 white Americans (21 females, 25 men) and 87 black Americans (40 females, 37 males), with an average age of 51.8 years. Age, sex, BMI, and Charlson Comorbidity Score were all matched between groups. On computed tomography scans, cortical and cancellous bone thickness measurements in the right and left iliac crests were made using the bone window methodology. A 2-tailed t-test was used to establish statistical significance. The interobserver interclass correlation coefficient reliability (N=2) for measurements at the right iliac crest is 0.895 (95% CI: 0.852–0.925), whereas the interclass correlation coefficient for the left iliac crest is 0.912 (95% CI: 0.877–0.938). Between the American black (0.667±0.065) and American white (0.750±0.051) groups, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean cancellous bone ratio (P<0.001). Compared to white American patients, American black patients showed a lower mean ratio of cancellous to total bone at the iliac crest. Alternative graft choices may be beneficial to this population. While iliac crest autograft was still the most common fusion procedure, other treatments should be evaluated to ensure that each patient receives the best possible care.
