Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 27, 2025
Fragility Assessment of Bovine Cortical Bone Using Scratch Tests
Published on: November 30, 2017
In Vivo Assessment of Cortical Bone Fragility
Lyn Bowman1,2, Anne B Loucks3
1Department of Biological Sciences and the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA.
Purpose Of Review:
This review updates readers on recent developments in the assessment of cortical bone fragility in vivo. The review explains the clinical need that motivated the development of Cortical Bone Mechanics Technology™ (CBMT) as a scientific instrument, its unique capabilities, and its necessary further development as a medical device.
Recent Findings:
Clinical experience with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry has led to calls for new clinical methods for assessing bone health. CBMT is a noninvasive, dynamic 3-point bending test that makes direct, functional measurements of the mechanical properties of cortical bone in ulnas of living people. Its technical validity in accurate measurements of ulna flexural rigidity and its clinical validity in accurate estimations of quasistatic ulna bending strength have been demonstrated. Because CBMT is a whole bone test, its measurements reflect the influences of bone quantity and bone quality at all hierarchical levels.
