In Vivo Trabecular Bone Morphologic and Mechanical Relationship Using High-Resolution 3-T MRI

• Published in: American journal of roentgenology (1976) Vol. 191; no. 3; pp. 721 - 726
• Main Authors: Alberich-Bayarri, Angel, Marti-Bonmati, Luis, Sanz-Requena, Roberto, Belloch, Elena, Moratal, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leesburg, VA Am Roentgen Ray Soc 01.09.2008; American Roentgen Ray Society
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena - methods; Female; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Wrist Joint - anatomy & histology; In vivo; Nuclear medicine; High resolution; Radiology; Medical imagery; Bone trabeculae; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging
• ISSN: 0361-803X; 1546-3141
• DOI: 10.2214/AJR.07.3528

The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vivo morphologic and elastic parameters of trabecular bone with high-resolution 3-T MRI in a healthy reference population. A series of wrist MR images were acquired with high-spatial-resolution (180 mum) isotropic voxels from 40 subjects without reported bone disease. After image postprocessing, the bone volume-to-total volume ratio, trabecular thickness, trabecular separation, and trabecular number were calculated in the morphologic analysis. Trabecular bone was mechanically simulated using the finite-element method to calculate the apparent elastic modulus parameter. The relationship between morphologic and mechanical parameters was studied. The influence of the analyzed bone volume was also investigated. Statistically significant sex influences were found on the bone volume-to-total volume ratio (p = 0.003), trabecular thickness (p = 0.02), and apparent elastic modulus (p = 0.01); these parameters were lower in women. However, trends were found only on trabecular separation (p = 0.06) and trabecular number (p = 0.07). Age had no statistically significant influence in any morphologic (bone volume-to-total volume ratio, r = -0.24, p = 0.13; trabecular thickness, r = -0.03, p = 0.88; trabecular separation, r = 0.12, p = 0.47; and trabecular number, r = -0.23, p = 0.16) or elastic (apparent elastic modulus, r = -0.18, p = 0.26) parameter. A statistically significant relationship between apparent elastic modulus and the square of bone volume-to-total volume ratio was found (r = 0.968, p < 0.001). This association was not seen (r = 0.185, p = 0.25) and apparent elastic modulus results were considerably different (p < 0.001) if the volume of analyzed bone was reduced. We found that bone volume-to-total volume ratio, trabecular thickness, and apparent elastic modulus are parameters significantly influenced by sex. Apparent elastic modulus results show a relationship with bone volume-to-total volume ratio. Trabecular bone volume should be maximized for an appropriate mechanical analysis.