Quantitative measurement of the bone density by X-ray micro computed tomography

Abstract

The paper describes the results of the bone density measurement performed by a quantitative method, which includes applying XMT upgraded by using a physical multi-density calibration phantom. Ten specimens of femoral diaphyseal bone from three adult female rabbits of the same age and weight were scanned, every sample together with the phantom using the X-ray microtomography scanner. The phantom was used together with new software, to establish a calibration curve and to calculate the absolute mineral density distributions of the bone microstructure. The calculation was performed using custom software developed by M. Binkowski to perform previous QCT studies. Based on the calibration curve the software calculated bone mineral density for bone segmented from the reconstructed images. The validation of the (XMT) measurement of bone density based on rabbit specimens has been performed based on verification of these results versus gold standard ash content values. The results from the research described can be applied also in enhancing engineering studies such as finite element modelling, which usually supports pre-clinical studies. The methodology can be also transferred to different disciplines like mineralogy, petrology, geology, and material science in general, with appropriate modification of the calibration phantom. © 2010 International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering.