A coherent/Compton scattering method for measurement of trabecular bone mineral density in the distal radius

A new technique was developed for determination of the trabecular bone mineral density in the distal radius. The method is based on measurement of the intensity ratio of coherently and Compton scattered photons using a 241Am radionuclide as the radiation source and a semiconductor crystal as the detector. The bone material consisted of 28 autopsy samples from distal radii of female subjects. A good correlation was observed between bone ash content and the coherent/Compton scattering ratio. The trabecular bone mineral density correlated well with the mineral density values obtained by the gamma transmission method. The method was reproducible within 3%.