Elsevier

Academic Radiology

Volume 9, Issue 12, December 2002, Pages 1395-1406
Academic Radiology

Original Investigations
Local Differences in the Trabecular Bone Structure of the Proximal Femur Depicted with High-Spatial-Resolution MR Imaging and Multisection CT

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1076-6332(03)80667-0Get rights and content

Abstract

Rationale and Objectives

The authors performed this study to investigate structural variations in the trabecular bone of the proximal femur at high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and high-resolution multisection computed tomography (CT).

Materials and Methods

Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 36 proximal human femur specimens by using dual x-ray absorptiometry. High-resolution MR imaging was performed at 1.5 T with an in-plane spatial resolution of 0.195 × 0.195 mm and a section thickness of 0.3 and 0.9 mm. Multisection CT was performed with an ultra-high-resolution protocol; images were obtained with an in-plane spatial resolution of 0.25 mm and a section thickness of 1 mm. In a subset of these specimens, micro CT was performed with an isotropic spatial resolution of 30 μm. Identical regions of interest (ROIs) were used to analyze images obtained with MR imaging, multisection CT, and micro CT. Trabecular bone structural parameters were obtained, and the parameters from the individual imaging modalities and BMD were correlated.

Results

Significant differences concerning the trabecular microarchitecture between the individual ROIs were demonstrated with multisection CT and MR imaging. A number of the correlations between structural parameters derived with multisection CT, MR imaging, micro CT, and BMD measurements were significant. For MR imaging, threshold technique and section thickness had an effect on structural parameters.

Conclusion

Structural parameters obtained in the proximal femur with multisection CT and high-resolution MR imaging show regional differences. These techniques may be useful for depicting the trabecular architecture in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Section snippets

Specimens

Thirty-six human proximal femur specimens were analyzed in this study. These specimens were obtained from 24 donors who died of various causes excluding diseases that involved the bone marrow. The donors (13 women, 11 men) ranged in age from 39 to 91 years (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 76 years ± 11). To ensure the integrity of the specimens (eg, no fracture) and to exclude the presence of tumors, each specimen was examined manually and with conventional radiography. From 12 subjects we

BMD

The highest BMD was found in the femoral neck (0.63 g/cm2 ± 0.14) followed by the region of the greater trochanter (0.58 g/cm2 ± 0.13). The Ward triangle had the lowest BMD (0.43 g/cm2 ± 0.14). BMD values in one region showed good correlation with BMD values of other regions; that is, specimens with high BMD values in the neck were also more likely to have high BMD values in the trochanter and Ward triangle. The average BMD in specimens obtained from male donors was higher than that in

Discussion

Our results show that regional variations of trabecular bone architecture may be depicted with multisection CT and high-resolution MR imaging. The apparent BV/TV determined with multisection CT and high-resolution MR imaging showed a statistically significant correlation; however, there were substantial limitations with regard to the other morphologic measures. Parameters derived from both multisection CT and high-resolution MR imaging are correlated with micro CT data, which are considered the

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    Supported by German Research Society grant LI 710, 2-1.

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