Propagation of fast and slow waves in cancellous bone: Comparative study of simulation and experiment

Abstract

Comparative study of longitudinal wave propagation in cancellous bone was performed. We simulated wave propagation with the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method using a threedimensional X-ray computer tomography (CT) model of an actual cancellous bone. We also experimentally measured the waves that propagated in an identical specimen under similar conditions. The speeds of fast waves and the amplitudes of fast and slow waves at small ROIs (region of interest) in the specimen were examined. We found good correlations in fast wave speed and wave amplitudes between simulated and measured data. The peak amplitude ratio of simulated two waves was also similar with the experimental results. These results show the importance of FDTD simulation to understand the wave propagation phenomena in the complicated medium. © 2009 The Acoustical Society of Japan.