Measurement of spectral maximum shift of ultrasonic backscatter signals in cancellous bone

The feasibility of assessing cancellous bone from the Spectral Maximum Shift (SMS) of the backscattered ultrasonic signal is investigated. And the SMS of backscatter signals from bovine tibiae cancellous bone in vitro were measured and discussed. The spectral maximum of the backscattered signal downshift with increases of the apparent density of cancellous bone. When the bone suffered from osteoporosis, the density will reduce. Therefore, compared with the backscattered signal spectrum in the normal cancellous bone, the osteoporotic cancellous bones have small SMS of backscattered signal. According to the size of SMS, the status of cancellous bone and the degree of osteoporotic fracture risk may be assessed. On the other hand, techniques based on ultrasonic backscatter offer the advantage that only one ultrasonic transducer rather than two transducers is required to perform measurements. The operation of measurement is convenient and simple in assessment of cancellous bone status and diagnosis of osteoporosis.