Quantitative x-ray diffraction analysis of bone and marrow volumes in excised femoral head samples

The aim of this paper is to apply the technique of quantitative x-ray diffraction analysis (QXDA) to trabecular bone tissue to demonstrate that quantitative data of the ratio of bone and marrow volumes within the trabecular region can be obtained. Apparatus has been constructed for measuring energy dispersive x-ray diffraction spectra of human femoral head samples in the diagnostic x-ray energy range. Individual diffraction peaks due to bone and marrow tissue were identified in the measured spectra. The relative intensities of the two peaks within the spectra quantify the relative proportions of the two components, and so the bone to marrow peak ratio is proposed as a parameter which is capable of providing information on the osteoporotic state of trabecular tissue. Preliminary results indicate a significant correlation between this method and the bone density measurement techniques of quantitative computed tomography and Compton scatter densitometry. Results have shown that the use of a synthetically prepared calibration curve can enable absolute measurement of bone or marrow volumes.