Abstract
Multi-Detector CT (MDCT) is a clinical X-ray CT system with multiple rows of detectors that was developed in the 1990s and has become mainstream in modern radiology clinics. Thin slice scanning with a short acquisition time allows for multi planar reconstructions (MPR) and generation of three-dimensional images. In recent years, trabecular bone structure analysis from high-resolution MDCT images has been applied to investigate bone and joint diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
High Resolution peripheral Quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) is a clinical high-resolution CT for imaging peripheral skeletal sites. The high spatial resolution (voxel size 82 μm) enables a more accurate in vivo analysis of bone microstructure, compared to MDCT. However, this modality is not able to image important axial sites in vivo, including the proximal femur and spine. Nevertheless, this imaging technique has revealed new knowledge concerning osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and drug efficacy. In particular, the role of intracortical porosity in osteoporosis patients has recently attracted significant attention.
