[Multislice-CT for structure analysis of trabecular bone - a comparison with micro-CT and biomechanical strength].
OBJECTIVE
MS-CT (Multislice-Spiral-CT) has a higher spatial resolution compared to the SS-CT (Singleslice-CT). The purpose of this study was to investigate, if the higher spatial resolution of the MS-CT has advantages for structural analyses in the assessment of osteoporosis.


METHODS
20 cylindrical trabecular bone specimens (diameter 12 mm, length 15 - 20 mm) were harvested from formalin-fixed human thoracic spines. All specimens were examined by Micro-CT and quantitative, histomorphologic parameters were determined. Analogous structural parameters were calculated from the high-resolution images acquired by both MS- and SS-CT. Additionally, the BMD (bone mineral density) was measured by QCT (quantitative CT). The maximum compressive strength (MCS) was determined in a biomechanical test. The structural parameters were correlated with the histomorphologic parameters and with the MCS.


RESULTS
The parameters bone fraction and trabecular separation correlated significantly in both MS- and SS-CT with the analogous parameters from Micro-CT (r (2) = 0.84, p < 0.01) and the MCS (r (2) = 0.81, p < 0.01). The highest correlation with the MCS was calculated using the trabecular number measured by MS-CT in the superior region near the endplate of the vertebra with the high-resolution kernel U90 u (r (2) = 0.85, p < 0.01). This correlation was significantly higher than the correlation between MCS and BMD (r (2) = 0.49, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Micro-CT- and MS-CT-determined structural parameters of the trabecular bone showed significant, high correlations. Thus, a characterisation of the trabecular structure seems to be possible. The biomechanical stability of the bone can also be predicted well. The structural parameters acquired by MS-CT show higher correlations with the MCS than the BMD or structural parameters determined by SS-CT do. In this study MS-CT was best suited to predict biomechanical strength of trabecular bone.
Bauer
J S
JS
Institut für Röntgendiagnostik der Technischen Universität München. tmlink@radiology.ucsf.com
Issever
A S
AS
Fischbeck
M
M
Burghardt
A
A
Eckstein
F
F
Rummeny
E J
EJ
Majumdar
S
S
Link
T M
TM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density; D002102:Cadaver; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*