Application of the Scaling Index Method to μ-CT images of human trabecular bone for the characterization of biomechanical strength

摘要

Osteoporosis is a metabolic bone disorder characterized by the loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and the deterioration of the bone micro-architecture. Rarefied bone structures are more susceptible to fractures which are the worst complications of osteoporosis. Here, we apply a structure characterization method, namely the Scaling Index Method, to micro-computed tomographic (μ-CT) images of the distal radius and extract 3D nonlinear structure measures to assess the biomechanical properties of trabecular bone. Biomechanical properties were quantified by the maximum compressive strength (MCS) obtained in a biomechanical test and bone mineral density (BMD) was calculated using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). μ-CT images allow for the application of two different modalities of the SIM which differ in the dimensional embedding of the image. Both representations lead to similar correlation coefficients with MCS which are significantly better than the ones obtained using standard 3D morphometric parameters and comparable to the result given by BMD. The analysis of μ-CT images based on the SIM allows for a sharp distinction of the different structural elements which compose the trabecular bone network.