Measurement of Ultrasonic parameters of cancellous bone as a function of porosity and frequency using transverse transmission Ultrasonic spectroscopy Technique

Presenter's Name(s)

ALINA KARKIFollow

Conference Year

January 2021

Abstract

The clinical interest in ultrasound spectroscopy is growing due to its ability to characterize the bone properties and predict bone fracture risk associated with osteoporosis. So far, many studies have reported and confirmed the significant correlation between ultrasonic parameters, especially velocity and attenuation coefficient with bone mineral density, which is the indicator of bone fracture. However, those studies have not provided sufficient understanding because they only covered a very narrow frequency range (less than 1 MHz). In addition, it is challenging to understand how ultrasound propagate in the cancellous bone, since it is a complex, anisotropic and inhomogeneous porous structure of different sizes of pores. Bone porosity, an important bone property, affects the scattering and absorption of ultrasound. That means ultrasound parameters will also be affected by bone porosity. For the time being, there are only few studies on the relationship between bone porosity and ultrasound, which needs a solid validation. Hence, in an effort to systematically investigate the ultrasonic parameters and determine the dependence of ultrasound parameters with bone properties, we have conducted in vitro measurements of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation coefficient on twenty-one bovine cancellous bones, using ultrasonic spectroscopy in the through-transmission mode over a wide frequency range between 1-7.50 MHz. The bone porosity and pore size distribution of each bone specimen is determined using x-ray micro-CT scan and investigated the relationship between these ultrasonic parameters and bone porosity using linear regression techniques. We have utilized a systematic approach, beginning with the investigation of a polyethylene disk, moving on to the investigation of bone specimens. Our study provides a significant insight in the ultrasound spectroscopy in bone assessment.

Primary Faculty Mentor Name

jwu@uvm.edu

Status

Graduate

Student College

College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

Program/Major

Materials Science

Primary Research Category

Engineering & Physical Sciences

Abstract only.

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Measurement of Ultrasonic parameters of cancellous bone as a function of porosity and frequency using transverse transmission Ultrasonic spectroscopy Technique

The clinical interest in ultrasound spectroscopy is growing due to its ability to characterize the bone properties and predict bone fracture risk associated with osteoporosis. So far, many studies have reported and confirmed the significant correlation between ultrasonic parameters, especially velocity and attenuation coefficient with bone mineral density, which is the indicator of bone fracture. However, those studies have not provided sufficient understanding because they only covered a very narrow frequency range (less than 1 MHz). In addition, it is challenging to understand how ultrasound propagate in the cancellous bone, since it is a complex, anisotropic and inhomogeneous porous structure of different sizes of pores. Bone porosity, an important bone property, affects the scattering and absorption of ultrasound. That means ultrasound parameters will also be affected by bone porosity. For the time being, there are only few studies on the relationship between bone porosity and ultrasound, which needs a solid validation. Hence, in an effort to systematically investigate the ultrasonic parameters and determine the dependence of ultrasound parameters with bone properties, we have conducted in vitro measurements of ultrasonic velocity and attenuation coefficient on twenty-one bovine cancellous bones, using ultrasonic spectroscopy in the through-transmission mode over a wide frequency range between 1-7.50 MHz. The bone porosity and pore size distribution of each bone specimen is determined using x-ray micro-CT scan and investigated the relationship between these ultrasonic parameters and bone porosity using linear regression techniques. We have utilized a systematic approach, beginning with the investigation of a polyethylene disk, moving on to the investigation of bone specimens. Our study provides a significant insight in the ultrasound spectroscopy in bone assessment.