title: Stochastic predictors from the DXA scans of human lumbar vertebrae are correlated with the microarchitecture parameters of trabecular bone.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to provide a novel stochastic assessment of inhomogeneous distribution of bone mineral density (BMD) from the Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans of human lumbar vertebrae and identify the stochastic predictors that were correlated with the microarchitecture parameters of trabecular bone. Eighteen human lumbar vertebrae with intact posterior elements from 5 cadaveric spines were scanned in the posterior-anterior projection using a Hologic densitometer. The BMD map of human vertebrae was obtained from the raw data of DXA scans by directly operating on the transmission measurements of low- and high-energy X-ray beams. Stochastic predictors were calculated by fitting theoretical models onto the experimental variogram of the BMD map, rather than grayscale images, from DXA scans. In addition, microarchitecture parameters of trabecular bone were measured from the 3D images of human vertebrae acquired using a Micro-CT scanner. Significant correlations were observed between stochastic predictors and microarchitecture parameters. The sill variance, representing the standard deviation of the BMD map to some extent, had significantly positive correlations with bone volume, trabecular thickness, trabecular number and connectivity density. The sill variance was also negatively associated with bone surface to volume ratio and trabecular separation. This study demonstrates that the stochastic assessment of the inhomogeneous distribution of BMD from DXA scans of human lumbar vertebrae can reveal microarchitecture information of trabecular bone. However, future studies are needed to examine the potential of stochastic predictors from routine clinical DXA scans in providing bone fragility information complementary to BMD.
authors: Department of Health and Kinesiology, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA. Electronic address: ndong@uttyler.edu.
authors: Xuanliang Neil
authors: XN
authors: Dong
authors: Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA.
authors: Rajeshwar
authors: R
authors: Pinninti
authors: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, UT Health Northeast, Tyler, TX 75708, USA.
authors: Amy
authors: A
authors: Tvinnereim
authors: Department of Health and Kinesiology, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA.
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Lowe
authors: Department of Health and Kinesiology, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Di Paolo
authors: Department of Electrical Engineering, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX 75799, USA.
authors: Mukul
authors: M
authors: Shirvaikar
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Bone mineral density (BMD); DXA; Experimental variogram; Human vertebrae; Micro-CT; Sill variance