基于声辐射力超声弹性成像和定量超声的松质骨状况评价方法研究

骨的生物力学特性是诊断骨质疏松、预测骨折风险的最有效指标之一，但目前临床诊断方法以骨矿密度测量为主，尚缺乏有效的方法获取在体骨的功能信息。本项目以超声为检测工具，创新性地结合声辐射力超声弹性成像和定量超声两种技术，提出一种评价松质骨状况的新方法。该方法突破了目前临床定量超声技术的局限性，能全面获取骨的弹性模量、骨矿密度、微结构等多种信息。本项目拟结合理论、仿真、实验三个方面，综合利用有限元仿真、超声测量、micro-CT扫描、力学测试等多种技术，对新方法中的关键科学问题展开研究，包括：各向异性多孔介质中声传播模型、声辐射力机制、剪切波提取的自适应算法、声场逆问题求解、各种参数（力学、声学、微结构）之间的关系等。本项目的开展将改变目前临床局限于骨密度测量的现状，建立一种同时测量骨功能和质量，全面对骨状况进行评估的新方法，这对促进骨质疏松诊断技术的发展具有重要意义。

The biomechanical properties of bone are one of the most effective indices for osteoporosis diagnosis and fracture risk assessment. However, most of the current clinic diagnostic methods focus on bone mineral density (BMD) measurement, and there is no effective way to obtain the functional information of bone in vivo. This study utilizes ultrasound as detection tool and innovatively combines acoustic radiation ultrasound elastography and quantitative ultrasound to propose a new method of bone evaluation. This method breaks the limitation of clinical quantitative ultrasound by acquiring different kinds of bone information, such as elastic modulus, BMD, and micro-structure. This study will integrate theory, simulation, and experiment. Different technologies, including FEA, ultrasound measurement, micro-CT scan, and biomechanical test will be utilized to explore the key scientific issues such as acoustic propagation in anisotropic porous media, mechanism of acoustic radiation force, adaptive algorithm of extracting shear wave, inverse problem of acoustic field, and relationships among different parameters (mechanical, acoustic, and structural parameters). The development of this study will change the current clinical dependence on BMD measurement. It may establish a new method to measure bone function and quantity together and evaluate the bone status comprehensively. It will be important to promote the progress of osteoporosis diagnostic technology.