Long range node-strut analysis of trabecular bone microarchitecture

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel noninvasive morphometric measure called mean node strength (NdStr) for quantifying the long-range connectivity of trabecular bone microarchitecture using pQCT images.

Contribution

The paper presents a new approach called long range node-strut analysis that emphasizes long-range connectivity without skeletonization, providing a continuous measure of node strength.

Findings

Applied to high-resolution images of trabecular bone

Correlated with traditional histomorphometry measurements

Demonstrated ability to assess bone microarchitecture noninvasively

Abstract

Purpose: We present a new morphometric measure of trabecular bone microarchitecture, called mean node strength (NdStr), which is part of a newly developed approach called long range node-strut analysis. Our general aim is to describe and quantify the apparent "latticelike" microarchitecture of the trabecular bone network. Methods: Similar in some ways to the topological node-strut analysis introduced by Garrahan et al. [J. Microsc. 142, 341-349 (1986)], our method is distinguished by an emphasis on long-range trabecular connectivity. Thus, while the topological classification of a pixel (after skeletonization) as a node, strut, or terminus, can be determined from the 3x3 neighborhood of that pixel, our method, which does not involve skeletonization, takes into account a much larger neighborhood. In addition, rather than giving a discrete classification of each pixel as a node, strut, or terminus, our method produces a continuous variable, node strength. The node strength is averaged over a region of interest to produce the mean node strength of the region. Results: We have applied our long range node-strut analysis to a set of 26 high-resolution ... The Nd/Tm ratios were computed using traditional histomorphometry performed on bone biopsies obtained at the same location as the pQCT scans. Conclusions: The newly introduced morphometric measure allows a quantitative assessment of the long-range connectivity of trabecular bone. One advantage of this method is that it is based on pQCT images that can be obtained noninvasively from patients, i.e., without having to obtain a bone biopsy from the patient.