title: Fiber Bragg grating sensor for monitoring bone decalcification.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Estimation of decalcification is a vital tool to discern bone health. Different techniques are used for its quantitative measurement, e.g. DEXA, QCT & QUS. All these techniques, although noninvasive, suffer from limitations such as radiation exposure and inaccurate values. Recently, fiber optic techniques are fast emerging for medical applications owing to their various attractive features like immunity to EMI/RFI, geometric versatility, chemical inertness, etc.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of decalcification on strain response of a goat tibia was investigated in vitro using fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing technique. The bone was strained by using three-point bending technique and corresponding Bragg wavelength shifts were recorded. Two similar bone samples from the same animal were taken and one was partially decalcified. Strain response of decalcified and untreated bone was taken concurrently to monitor the effects of calcium loss and that of degradation with time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The strain generated for same stress increased with greater degree of decalcification and a steep increase occurred after 2g calcium loss, indicating the onset of damage. The strain response, therefore gives a direct indication of the degree of calcium present in the bone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III.
authors.affiliation: Central Scientific Instruments Organisation, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Sector-30, Chandigarh 160030, India. vandanamishra66@yahoo.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Poddar
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mondal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kapur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003648:Decalcification Technique; D003649:Decalcification, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013977:Tibia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology