• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.388-394
• /
• 2010

In the present study, polyacetal bone mimics with circular cylindrical pores were used to investigate variations of speed of sound and attenuation coefficient with porosity and microarchitecture in bone. The speed of sound and attenuation coefficient of the 6 bone mimics with porosities from 0 % to 65.9 % were measured by a through-transmission method in water, using a pair of broadband, unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. Independently of the structural properties of the bone mimics, the speed of sound decreased almost linearly with the increasing porosity. The attenuation coefficient measured at 1.0 MHz exhibited linear or nonlinear correlations with the porosity, depending on the structural properties of the bone mimics. These results are consistent with those previously published by other researchers using bone samples and mimics, and advances our understanding of the relationships of the ultrasonic parameters for the diagnosis of osteoporosis with the bone density and microarchitecture in human bones.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.20-27
• /
• 2005

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and the microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue with a consequent increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. It has been suggested that speed of sound (SOS) and broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) of quantitative ultrasound sonography (QUS) may provide information about not only bone density but also the microarchitecture and elastic properties of bone. Physical inactivity reduced mechanical usage and it made process to the bone changes. This study aimed to association between the physical activity and the QUS parameters in 1305 (593 men, 712 women) aged 20 years over in a rural population. Two QUS parameters, BUA (p=.23) and SOS(p=.73) were measured at the right calcaneus of postmenopausal women, no significant associations were observed between sports index and SOS and BUA. These results suggest that work, non-sports leisure physical activity (p<.01) have a significant influence on QUS parameters in a rural population. Physical activity are meaningful predictor of QUS parameters of the calcaneus in a rural population.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.28 no.7
• /
• pp.661-667
• /
• 2009

Trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms consisting of parallel-nylon-wire arrays were used to investigate correlations of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient with structural properties in trabecular bone. Trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) of the 7 trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms ranged from 300 to $900\;{\mu}m$ and volume fraction (VF) from 1.6% to 8.7%. Phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of the phantoms were measured by using a through-transmission method in water, with a matched pair of broadband unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1 MHz. Phase velocity and attenuation coefficient at 1 MHz decreased almost linearly with increasing Tb. Sp and increased almost linearly with increasing VF. The simple and multiple linear regression models with phase velocity and attenuation coefficient as independent vanables and Tb.Sp and VF as dependent variables demonstrated that the coefficients of determination for the prediction of VF were higher than those for the prediction of Tb.Sp. The results obtained in the trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms consisting of parallel-nylon-wire arrays were consistent with those in human trabecular bone suggesting that the structural properties can be estimated from the measurements of phase velocity and attenuation coefficient in trabecular bone.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.158-166
• /
• 2011

In the present study, copper and nickel foams with an open-celled structure as trabecular-bone-mimicking phantoms were used to investigate the dependencies of group velocity and attenuation coefficient on structural properties such as trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in trabecular bone. The group velocity and attenuation coefficient of the copper and nickel foams were measured by a through-transmission method in water, using a pair of broadband, unfocused transducers with a diameter of 12.7 mm and a center frequency of 1.0 MHz. The separation of the Biot's fast and slow waves was consistently observed in the ultrasonic signals transmitted through the copper and nickel foams. The group velocities of the copper and nickel foams showed highly positive correlations with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. The attenuation coefficient of the copper foam showed a highly negative correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp, whereas that of the nickle foam showed a highly positive correlation with Tb.Th and Tb.Sp. These results advance our understanding of those previously reported by other researchers using trabecular bone samples or phantoms.