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Updated: Nov 25, 2025
Cortical Bone Assessment Using Ultrasonic Guided Waves: A Reproducibility Study in a Healthy Population
Published on: January 31, 2025
Bulk Wave Velocities in Cortical Bone Reflect Porosity and Compression Strength
Laura Peralta1, Juan Deyo Maeztu Redin2, Fan Fan3
1Sorbonne Universite, INSERM, CNRS, Laboratoire d'lmagerie Biomedicale, LIB, F-75006 Paris, France; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom.
Ultrasonic velocities in human cortical bone correlate with mechanical strength and porosity. These findings suggest ultrasound measurements could help diagnose bone fragility in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Biomaterials Science
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Cortical bone's mechanical quality is crucial for skeletal integrity.
- Assessing bone quality non-invasively is vital for diagnosing fragility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if ultrasonic velocities in cortical bone can serve as a proxy for its mechanical properties.
- To investigate the relationship between ultrasonic velocities, bone porosity, and compression strength.
Main Methods:
- Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for porosity assessment.
- Compression mechanical testing for bone strength evaluation.
- Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS) to measure ultrasonic wave velocities (longitudinal and shear).
Main Results:
- Significant correlations were found between ultrasonic velocities and both bone strength (r = 0.65-0.83) and porosity (r = -0.64 to -0.77).
- A 100 m/s decrease in velocity corresponded to approximately 20 MPa loss in strength and a 5% increase in porosity.
- Velocities were measured along and perpendicular to osteons in human tibia and femur specimens.
Conclusions:
- Ultrasonic velocities are reliable indicators of cortical bone's mechanical quality.
- In vivo measurement of ultrasonic velocities offers a potential diagnostic tool for bone fragility.
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