A study of volumetric visualization and quantitative evaluation of bone trabeculae in helical CT
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 20, 2026
Outer-Boundary Assisted Segmentation and Quantification of Trabecular Bones by an Imagej Plugin
Published on: March 14, 2018
F Kobayashi1, J Ito, T Hayashi
1Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Department of Tissue Regeneration and Reconstruction, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan. fukiko@dent.niigata-u.ac.jp
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of quantitative evaluation of bone trabeculae by helical CT.
Methods:
Ten specimens of human cadaver mandibular condyles were examined using both micro-CT and helical CT, and volume rendered three-dimensional (3D) images were obtained from the CT data. Micro-CT was used as the reference standard. From the micro-CT data images, bone trabeculae in each condyle were extracted by image processing and their volumes were calculated automatically. From the helical CT data images, the cortical bone was manually removed and bone trabeculae in each condyle were extracted using opacity curve and colour mapping thresholds. The optimal cut-off CT value that resulted in a similar volume of bone trabeculae obtained from helical CT and micro-CT data was investigated.
Results:
The optimal cut-off CT value to assess the volume of bone trabeculae accurately on 3D images obtained with helical CT data was found to be 200 Hounsfield units.
Conclusions:
This study suggests that quantitative evaluation of bone trabeculae using helical CT might be a valid and useful method.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
01:14Imaging Studies I: CT and MRI
Description of the Procedures
Computed Tomography (CT) scan:
Computed Tomography (CT) scans use X-ray technology to generate detailed images of bones, organs, and tissues. During the scan, the patient lies on a moving table...