<p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>Pathology</li><li>A disorder in which the bones become increasingly porous, brittle, and subject to fracture</li><li>Caused by loss of calcium and other mineral components</li><li>Sometimes results in pain, decreased height, and skeletal deformities</li><li>Common in older persons, primarily postmenopausal women</li><li>Also associated with long-term steroid therapy and certain endocrine disorders</li></ul>