超音波による生体海綿骨の力学的健全性評価について

抄録

Osteoporosis is defined as the clinical manifestation of bone atrophy. In most cases, a fracture of a vertebral body is found, which would result in long-term bed care. However, a practically effective technique for the detection of osteoporosis is still not available. In the present report, a method for estimating mechanical reliability of in vivo cancellous bone using ultrasound signals is introduced. The method is based on the two-dimensional bone area fraction (S, bone/ (bone+bone marrow)) calculated from the difference in. the velocity of ultrasound wave propagation through the bone. The technique allows the estimation of in vivo bone mineral density for spine and heel bone as well as Young's modulus and strength from the propagation velocity that could estimate fracture risk of the bone. Further researches from various viewpoints, sport mechanics, image processing, numerical and experimental mechanics, and clinical medicine, are needed to establish the estimation of mechanica1 reliability for in vivo bone as strong diagnostic tool fbr osteoporosis.