Ultrasound based measurement of fracture relevant cortical properties of the femoral neck

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Nowadays clinically used X-ray based methods for bone mineral density measurement for the assessment of osteoporotic fracture risk and to determine the need for treatment have limitations as they only measure bone size and mineral density and no additional fracture relevant bone material properties at the main fracture sites hip and spine. Measurements of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in the cancellous bone are also suitable to predict osteoporotic fractures. Methods of ultrasound transmission are particularly well suited to capture more of the bone material properties. The ultrasound transmission in the cortex depends on other fracture-related properties such as elasticity, porosity, mineralization and cortical thickness, properties which cannot or can only insufficiently be measured with radiological methods. On the basis of previous studies of ultrasonic waves through the cortex of the femoral neck (guided waves) we want to develop an in vivo applicable method for measuring fracture-related properties of the femoral neck selectively, and evaluate their suitability for fracture discrimination. The aim of the project is to demonstrate whether in addition to already by us validated QUS measurements at the trochanter of the femur femoral neck measurements are possible in order to assess the risk of pertrochanteric as well as cervical fractures.