In an attempt to evaluate whether bone histology could be predicted by clinical assessment and noninvasive techniques in patients on peritoneal dialysis, bone histomorphometry was correlated with symptoms of renal osteodystrophy, serum bone markers and parathyroid hormone (PTH) as well as radiographs and forearm osteodensitometry (bone mineral content, BMC). No correlations were found between clinical symptoms, biochemical markers, radiographic bone surveys, BMC measurements, and bone diagnosis. Serum 1,25-(OH)2D3 correlated negatively with the intracortical resorption and the degree of osteoporosis. No other correlations were seen between the serum markers measured, PTH and the radiographic parameters. Alkaline phosphatase correlated negatively with mineralization lag time and positively with eroded surface, mineral appositional rate, tetracycline-labelled surface and bone formation rates. HCO-3 correlated negatively with osteoid thickness and osteoid surface. Ca2+ correlated with osteoid surface, osteoid volume and cortical thickness. Mg correlated with the duration of azotemia, cortical porosity and bone aluminum content, while serum phosphate correlated with the mineral appositional rate. Osteocalcin and PTH correlated with osteoid thickness, the mineral appositional rate, tetracycline-labelled surface, the adjusted apposition rate, mineralization lag time and the bone formation rates. BMC measurements correlated with PTH and Ca2+ and inversely with sex and trabecular bone volume, osteoid thickness, osteoid surface, osteoid volume, eroded surface, osteoclast surface, tetracycline-labelled surface and the bone formation rates. Seven of the histomorphometric parameters correlated significantly with the radiological bone features. However, the clinical assessment and the serum markers of bone metabolism were of limited value. Thus, bone histology cannot be comprehensively predicted by non-invasive methods, although radiographs and forearm osteodensitometry provided some valuable information.