Caption

Osteoporotic bone. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of fractured bone tissue from a patient suffering from osteoporosis (brittle bone disease). Osteoporosis causes a reduction in overall bone mass and an increase in the bone's porosity, making it more brittle and likely to fracture. It commonly affects the elderly and post-menopausal women, who experience a decrease in levels of the hormone oestrogen. It may also develop after injury or infection. Oestrogen repl- acements and drugs that slow the rate of bone loss are used to treat the disease. This is cancellous or spongy bone tissue from the centre of a long bone. Magnification unknown.