Abstract
We presented the estimation method of anisotropic trabecular permeability by describing the theoretical relation between volume orientation (VO) fabric tensor, which represents canalicular orientation, and permeability tensor. Introducing the idealized canalicular model under the assumption that the macroscopic interstitial fluid flow in the trabecula is governed by Darcy's law, it was shown that the trabecular permeability tensor is proportional to the product of the volume fraction of the interstitial fluid and the VO fabric tensor of the canaliculi. We applied the presented method to the two-dimensional fluorescent image of trabecular cross-section to quantify the canalicular anisotropy and the trabecular permeability tensor. The results indicate that the canaliculi are predominantly oriented in the radial direction of the trabecula, and the value of permeability depends strongly on the canalicular morphology.
