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Updated: Aug 31, 2025
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A Sectioning, Coring, and Image Processing Guide for High-Throughput Cortical Bone Sample Procurement and Analysis for Synchrotron Micro-CT
Published on: June 12, 2020
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Rib cortical bone thickness variation in adults by age and sex
Sven A Holcombe1, Brian A Derstine1
1Morphomics Analysis Group, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Journal of Anatomy
|August 25, 2022
Summary
This study quantifies age-related rib bone thinning, revealing faster loss in females and specific regions. These findings aid in assessing bone loss and modeling thoracic trauma in aging populations.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics and Traumatology
- Gerontology
- Biomechanical Engineering
Background:
- Rib fractures are common in blunt thoracic trauma, particularly in older adults.
- Osteoporotic bone loss is age- and sex-specific, but regional rib bone thickness and thinning rates are not well-quantified.
- Understanding rib bone changes is crucial for assessing fracture risk and improving trauma modeling.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map regional cortical bone thickness across whole ribs (2-11) in adults.
- To quantify age- and sex-specific rates of rib bone thinning.
- To provide data for clinical assessment and biomechanical modeling of the thorax.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 4014 ribs from 240 adult subjects (20-90 years old) using clinical computed tomography scans.
- Application of a validated cortical bone mapping technique for local thickness measurements.
- Development of regression and statistical parametric mapping models to assess age and sex effects on bone thinning regionally and globally.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related reductions in rib bone thickness were observed across all models (p < 0.01).
- Average whole-rib thinning rates ranged from 0.011–0.032 mm/decade (males) and 0.035–0.043 mm/decade (females).
- Highest bone loss (up to 0.074 mm/decade) occurred in mid-rib cutaneous and superior regions of ribs 2-6, with consistently higher rates in females.
Conclusions:
- This study provides the first comprehensive regional maps and thinning rates for adult rib cortical bone.
- Age and sex significantly influence rib bone thickness, with females experiencing greater thinning, especially in specific regions.
- The data and methods can enhance clinical assessment of rib bone loss and refine biomechanical models of the aging thorax.
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