Assessment of trabecular bone structure using MDCT: comparison of 64- and 320-slice CT using HR-pQCT as the reference standard.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to perform trabecular bone structure analysis with images from 64- and 320-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and to compare these with high-resolution peripheral computed tomography (HR-pQCT).


METHODS
Twenty human cadaver distal forearm specimens were imaged on a 64- and 320-slice MDCT system at 120 kVp, 200 mA and 135 kVp, 400 mA (in-plane pixel size 234 microm; slice thickness 500 microm). HR-pQCT imaging was performed at an isotropic voxel size of 41 microm. Bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), thickness (Tb.Th) and separation (Tb.Sp) were computed.


RESULTS
MDCT-derived BV/TV and Tb.Sp were highly correlated (r = 0.92-0.96, p < 0.0001) with the corresponding HR-pQCT parameters. Tb.Th was the only structure measure that did not yield any significant correlation.


CONCLUSIONS
The 64- and 320-slice MDCT systems both perform equally well in depicting trabecular bone architecture. However, because of constrained resolutions accurate derivation of trabecular bone measures is limited to only a subset of microarchitectural parameters.
Issever
Ahi S
AS
Department of Radiology, Charité Campus Mitte, Universitaetsmedizin, Berlin, Germany. ahi-sema.issever@charite.de
Link
Thomas M
TM
Kentenich
Marie
M
Rogalla
Patrik
P
Burghardt
Andrew J
AJ
Kazakia
Galateia J
GJ
Majumdar
Sharmila
S
Diederichs
Gerd
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*