Collagen Type I C-Telopeptide (CTx)

Overview:

Bone is continually rebuilt, with old bone broken down and new bone laid down in its place. When bone is broken down, fragments of type I collagen called C-telopeptides are released into the blood. Measuring CTx gives an indication of how quickly that breakdown is happening, which imaging alone cannot show. Its most established use is in monitoring treatment for osteoporosis: medications that slow bone loss lower CTx within a few months, well before a change would be visible on a bone density scan. Levels vary considerably through the day and with food, so samples are usually taken fasting in the morning.

Categories:

Bone Health

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker