A comparative study of trabecular bone micro-structural measurements using different CT modalities.

Osteoporosis, characterized by reduced bone mineral density and micro-architectural degeneration, significantly enhances fracture-risk. There are several viable methods for trabecular bone micro-imaging, which widely vary in terms of technology, reconstruction principle, spatial resolution, and acquisition time. We have performed an excised cadaveric bone specimen study to evaluate different computed tomography (CT)-imaging modalities for trabecular bone micro-structural analysis. Excised cadaveric bone specimens from the distal radius were scanned using micro-CT and fourCT imaging modalities: high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT), dental cone beam CT (CBCT), whole-body multi-row detector CT (MDCT), and extremity CBCT. A new algorithm was developed to optimize soft thresholding parameters for individualCT modalities for computing quantitative bone volume fraction maps. Finally, agreement of trabecular bone micro-structural measures, derived from differentCT imaging, with reference measures from micro-CT imaging was examined. Observed values of most trabecular measures, including trabecular bone volume, network area, transverse and plate-rod micro-structure, thickness, and spacing, forCT modalities were higher than their micro-CT-based reference values. In general, HR-pQCT-based trabecular bone measures were closer to their reference values as compared to otherCT modalities. Despite large differences in observed values of measures among modalities, high linear correlation (ε [0.94 0.99]) was found between micro-CT andCT-derived measures of trabecular bone volume, transverse and plate micro-structural volume, and network area. All HR-pQCT-derived trabecular measures, except the erosion index, showed high correlation (ε [0.91 0.99]). The plate-width measure showed a higher correlation (ε [0.72 0.91]) amongand micro-CT modalities than its counterpart binary plate-rod characterization-based measure erosion index (ε [0.65 0.81]). Although a strong correlation was observed between micro-structural measures fromand micro-CT imaging, large shifts in their values formodalities warrant proper scanner calibration prior to adopting in multi-site and longitudinal studies.