title: Structural strength of cancellous specimens from bovine femur under cyclic compression.
abstract: The incidence of osteoporotic fractures was estimated as nine million worldwide in 2000, with particular occurrence at the proximity of joints rich in cancellous bone. Although most of these fractures spontaneously heal, some fractures progressively collapse during the early post-fracture period. Prediction of bone fragility during progressive collapse following initial fracture is clinically important. However, the mechanism of collapse, especially the gradual loss of the height in the cancellous bone region, is not clearly proved. The strength of cancellous bone after yield stress is difficult to predict since structural and mechanical strength cannot be determined a priori. The purpose of this study was to identify whether the baseline structure and volume of cancellous bone contributed to the change in cancellous bone strength under cyclic loading. A total of fifteen cubic cancellous bone specimens were obtained from two 2-year-old bovines and divided into three groups by collection regions: femoral head, neck, and proximal metaphysis. Structural indices of each 5-mm cubic specimen were determined using micro-computed tomography. Specimens were then subjected to five cycles of uniaxial compressive loading at 0.05 mm/min with initial 20 N loading, 0.3 mm displacement, and then unloading to 0.2 mm with 0.1 mm displacement for five successive cycles. Elastic modulus and yield stress of cancellous bone decreased exponentially during five loading cycles. The decrease ratio of yield stress from baseline to fifth cycle was strongly correlated with bone volume fraction (BV/TV, r = 0.96, p < 0.01) and structural model index (SMI, r = - 0.81, p < 0.01). The decrease ratio of elastic modulus from baseline to fifth cycle was also correlated with BV/TV (r = 0.80, p < 0.01) and SMI (r = - 0.78, p < 0.01). These data indicate that structural deterioration of cancellous bone is associated with bone strength after yield stress. This study suggests that baseline cancellous bone structure estimated from adjacent non-fractured bone contributes to the cancellous bone strength during collapse.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine , Sapporo , Japan.
authors: Kaori
authors: K
authors: Endo
authors: Division of Human Mechanical Systems and Design, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University , Sapporo , Japan.
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Yamada
authors: Division of Human Mechanical Systems and Design, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University , Sapporo , Japan.
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Todoh
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine , Sapporo , Japan.
authors: Masahiko
authors: M
authors: Takahata
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine , Sapporo , Japan.
authors: Norimasa
authors: N
authors: Iwasaki
authors: Division of Human Mechanical Systems and Design, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University , Sapporo , Japan.
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Tadano
keywords: Cancellous bone; Collapse; Cyclic compression; Micro-CT; Osteoporosis; Structural indices; Structural strength