title: Correlation of tibial low-frequency ultrasound velocity with femoral radiographic measurements and BMD in elderly women.
abstract: The ultrasonic axial transmission technique has been proposed as a method for cortical bone characterization. Using a low enough center frequency, Lamb modes can be excited in long bones. Lamb waves propagate throughout the cortical bone layer, which makes them appealing for characterizing bone material and geometrical properties. In the present study, a prototype low-frequency quantitative ultrasonic axial transmission device was used on elderly women (n = 132) to investigate the relationships between upper femur geometry and bone mineral density (BMD) and tibial speed of sound. Ultrasonic velocities (V) were recorded using a two-directional measurement set-up on the midtibia and compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements and plain radiographs of the hip. Statistically significant, but weak, correlations were found between V and femoral shaft cortex thickness measured from radiographs (r = 0.20-0.26). V also correlated significantly with various BMD and bone mineral content parameters (r = 0.20-0.35). Femoral BMD and geometry were found to be significant independent predictors of V (R(2) = 0.07-0.16, p < 0.01). This study showed that femoral geometry and BMD affect significantly the axial ultrasound velocity measured at the tibia. In addition, the results confirmed, for the first time, a relationship between tibial ultrasound velocity and cortical bone thickness at the proximal femur.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Technology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. mikko.j.maatta@oulu.fi
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Määttä
authors.forename: Petro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moilanen
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Sulin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Timonen
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jämsä
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014463:Ultrasonography