Human iliac trabecular bone specimens were scanned using micro-computed tomography to obtain volume data of two-dimensional images in post-menopausal women, and two- and three-dimensional morphometric parameters, such as trabecular bone volume/tissue volume, trabecular thickness, structure model index, and trabecular bone pattern factor, were calculated using these image data. We developed several image processing programs for fast, easy operation. The contents of the image processing programs include changing of image resolution and image size, thresholding value, filtering, labeling, and division into elements. Several processings of the same image data were performed for the finite element analysis(FEA). Based on results of the degree of anisotropy, the bone structure was loaded in three directions, x-, y-, and z-axes. The images of the stress distribution and yield strength obtained from the three axis directions differed depending on load direction, and the correlations of yield strength with the variousmic rostructural parameters also differed depending on load direction. Load direction in vivo should be considered for bone specimens in FEA analysis.
