The rate of bone mineralization is identical to the rate of osteoid production. The rate of newly synthesized osteoid is best estimated by:
Pulse labeling with tetracycline allows detection of rate of formation of osteoid.Two discrete tetracycline lines in tissue section separated in space can reflect the formation of bone that occurred between two oral administrations of tetracycline.The distance between the two labels can be measured and constitute the quantity of mineral deposited between those two lines during the period in which labeling did not take place. This, often referred to as the mineralization rate or calcification rate. Ref: Ohopaedic Pathology By Vincent J. Vigorita, M.D., Bernard Ghelman, M.D., Douglas Mintz, M.D., 2008, Page 106.
Plain X-ray
Tetracycline labeling
Alizarin red stain
Von kossa for calcium