Basic investigation of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry for bone densitometry using computed radiography

摘要

Abstract: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is one of the bone densitometry techniques to diagnose osteoporosis, and has been gradually getting popular due to its high degree of precision. However, DXA involves a time-consuming examination because of its pencil-beam scan, and the equipment is expensive. In this study, we examined a new bone densitometry technique (CR-DXA) utilizing an X-ray imaging system and Computed Radiography (CR) used for medical X-ray image diagnosis. High level of measurement precision and accuracy could be achieved by X-ray rube voltage/filter optimization and various nonuniformity corrections based on simulation and experiment. The phantom study using a bone mineral block showed precision of 0.83% c.v. (coefficient of variation), and accuracy of 0.01 g/cm$+2$/, suggesting that a practically equivalent degree of measurement precision and accuracy to that of the DXA approach is achieved. CR-DXA is considered to provide bone mineral densitometry to facilitate simple, quick and precise bone mineral density measurement.!5