Precise measurement of vertebral mineral content using computed tomography

A precise method of measuring vertebral mineral content by computed tomography has been developed. Calibration phantoms scanned with patients are used to provide corrections for machine drifts. Advanced software manipulation of the display images is used to reposition precisely to the midportion of each vertebral body. A long-term precision of 2.8% for mineral content has been obtained in excised vertebrae in a phantom simulating the human torso.