Zhang J, et al. - Authors sought to evaluate the association of the systemic bone loss to the changes in iron level and hepcidin regulation in focally irradiated and contralateral femurs. They noted that at least one of the main reasons for the systemic bone loss was increased iron levels after focal radiation. Moreover, in directly irradiated bones, bone loss is not only because of the increased iron level but it is also from elevated osteoclast differentiation. On the contrary, elevated iron level induced by IR alone is responsible for the bone loss in the contralateral femurs. The proof of evidence for the use of iron chelation or hepcidin as therapeutic treatments for IR-induced osteoporosis is provided in the results.