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Hartmut H. Malluche, MD
Professor and Chief
Robert G. “Robin” Luke
Chair in Nephrolgoy
Division of Nephrology, Bone and Mineral Metabolism
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY |
The International Society of Bone Morphometry (ISBM) was founded
to provide a formal basis to the efforts started by a small group
of pioneers in histomorphometry. The early group comprised Dr Jaworski,
Dr Meunier, Dr Jee, Dr Arnold, and Dr Frost.
In 1973, Dr Jaworski described the intention of the group, “In
the past two decades morphometric methods, both radiologic and histologic
(with quantitative radiography somewhere in between), have proven
useful in perfecting the tissue diagnosis of skeletal disorders and
an understanding of both the normal and abnormal morphology and
histodynamics of bone tissue. The variety of methods and approaches,
however, rendered the comparison and the interpretation of the results
from various laboratories somewhat difficult. These considerations
prompted the workers in the field of bone morphometry to meet… “Since
broadly speaking there are two main approaches to the study of the
skeleton and bone tissue, by morphometry―histological and radiological―we
decided that both these approaches should be represented at the workshop.”
Organized by Dr Jaworski, this first workshop held in Ottawa was
a great success. It was followed by eight subsequent workshops organized
in 1976 by Dr P. Meunier in Lyon, France; in 1980, by Drs W.S.S.
Jee and E.M. Parfitt in Sun Valley, Utah, USA; in 1984 by Dr Melsen
in Aarhus, Denmark; in 1988 by Dr H.E. Takahashi in Niigata, Japan;
and in 1992 by me in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. At the Lexington meeting
we had a record attendance of over 330.
Faced with the challenge of organizing the congress without the
backing of a formal organization which could help in raising funds
and provide the basis for structured planning and conduct of the
meeting, I proposed the idea of starting a not-for-profit organization
with the goal of pursuing the interests and plans of the previous
workshop organizers. The idea was discussed during the business meeting
of the Lexington Congress and the majority of the members enthusiastically
adopted the plan. This foundation brought an immediate benefit to
the next president, that no personal financial guarantees were needed
during the sensitive planning phase. Dr G. Marotti was elected to
organize the following international congress and to be the president
until the end of the meeting which was held with great success in
Sardinia, Italy.
Dr D. Dempster followed Dr Marotti as president; he organized the
congress in 1998 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. Thereafter, Dr. J.E.
Compston was elected to organize the meeting in 2002 in Scotland.
Even though there was a somewhat smaller number of participants,
the meeting was very informative and continued the legacy of spirited
discussions, open exchange, and vivid personal communications.
The bylaws and articles of incorporation are given on this web page.
The mission of the ISBM is to establish and promote quality standards
and quality assurance control in bone morphometry and to promote
the dissemination of new knowledge, new technology, and new approaches
to bone morphometry. In the spirit of the early workshops, this is
not limited to bone histology and includes radiologic techniques,
computer tomography, and any quantitative approaches to describe
and diagnose the pathologic changes of bone. Organization of regular
meetings is one major vehicle for realization of these goals.
In recent years the field of metabolic bone disease has experienced
a great gain in attention, interest, and role in health maintenance.
This is at least in part related to the discovery and availability
of new therapeutic approaches for the management of metabolic bone
diseases. Quantitative evaluation of the abnormalities of bone plays
an increasingly important role, not only for research but also the
development of new therapeutic agents and establishment of their
effects.
This increase in demand for bone histomorphometry and quantitative
evaluation of bone functions and bone changes is not met by a commensurate
increase in number of new investigators engaged in the field of bone
morphometry. To correct this situation is a goal worthy of pursuit
by our society. This will require communication between bone laboratories,
ongoing quality assurance and continuous updating of quality standards.
Here again the ISBM can fulfill an important role in facilitating
the exchange between laboratories, including technologies, normal
values, research results, and establishment of good quality standards.
In accomplishing these goals it is not the speed that is important
but a constant, measured pace. We need the support of industry without
becoming dependent on it. It is not the size of the organization
that will bring results and success, it is the dedication of its
members and their willingness to foster and promote research results
leading to medical progress without the burden of overhead often
partnered with large organizations.
I wish to thank all of the supporters of our society, foremost the
organizers of previous meetings, and our previous and current officers.
I hope that the society will attract, through each international
meeting, new members. Thanks is also due to our experienced long-term
members for their willingness to share their knowledge and wisdom
and their dedication to training young individuals who will carry
the torch.
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
September 2004
