Bone density assessment

Diagnosis of osteoporosis based on dual-energy CT

The assessment of bone mineral density (BMD) in vertebrae is critical for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Recent developments in dual-source CT allow for the simultaneous acquisition of two image data sets with different X-ray tube energies – dual-energy CT (DECT). We have developed a comprehensive approach for assessing the density of the trabecular bone in vertebrae of the spine based on DECT image data.

For this, we have extended an existing biophysical model for computing individual density values for all voxels contained in the trabecular region. Furthermore, we have introduced the barycentric space of the fractional volumes (bone matrix material, adipose and nonadipose tissue) for the purpose of investigating the trabecular bone composition. Based on normal values obtained from the literature, we define a color mapping for the visualization of computed values in 2D and 3D.