TEMPLATES FOR ASSESSING BONE QUALITY AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF

摘要

The present invention relates to the preparation and use of novel bone templates that can be prepared using a comprehensive approach to observing microstructural features of bone, including trabecular thickness and trabecular density. These features are assessed in regions of interest in a bone (e.g., proximal femur, distal femur, wrist, spine, etc.) as observed using digital radiographic techniques or clinical imaging, such as Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and computed tomography (CT) scanners. The microstructural features are presented in the form of data based on scanning results and are also assessed and/or organized in terms of age, gender, race, pathology, clinical history, and other patient population parameters. The template can be used to assess bone quality, predict the likelihood of bone fracture, and evaluate prosthesis design and placement, based on an image of a corresponding subject bone, e.g. the bone of a patient.