• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.103-111
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• 2015

The present study investigated the influence of thick cortical endplates on the ultrasonic properties of trabecular bone in a femur with a high fracture risk. Twelve trabecular bone samples were prepared from bovine femurs, and acrylic plates with thicknesses of 1.25, 1.80, and 2.75 mm were manufactured to simulate the cortical endplates using acrylic with a density and a sound speed similar to cortical bone. Although the thickness of the acrylic plates attached to the two sides of the trabecular bone increased, high correlations were observed between the speed of sound and the apparent bone density of the trabecular bone, with Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.80-0.86. High correlations were also observed between the attenuation coefficient at 0.5 MHz and the apparent bone density of the trabecular bone, with Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.84-0.91. These results suggest that the speed of sound and attenuation coefficient at a specific frequency measured in a femur with relatively thick cortical endplates compared to the calcaneus could be used as indices for predicting the bone mineral density of the femur.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1998 no.11
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• pp.169-170
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• 1998

In this study, regional variation in vertebral bone density due to osteoporosis were investigated using a method that employs images from QCT. QCT images(1mm thick slices) of the first lumbar vertebra from a normal person (23/M, BMD=139.8mg/ml) and from an osteoporotic patient (54/F, BMD=82.0mg/ml) were obtained. Uniform settings (140kVp, 204mA) were used and images of 300 Hounsfield Unit or greater were selectied to filler out soft tissue interference. To assess the regional variation of the area fraction the vertebral body was divided into 3 layers and each layer contained 9 regions. Area faction was calculated based on image analysis data. Our results showed that the area fraction at the middle of the vertebra was quite lower than the endplate and peripheral regions, but the area fraction values from the osteoporotic patient were uniform throughout the entire height of the vertebral body, which indicates the significant drop of BMD had occurred near both end-plates due to the osteoporosis, especially at the peripheral regions. Our results suggest the susceptability of the vertebrae to compression fracture types in osteoporotic spine.

• Asian Spine Journal
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.967-972
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• 2018

Study Design: Biomechanical study. Purpose: To investigate the relative stiffness of a new posterior pelvic fixation for unstable vertical fractures of the sacrum. Overview of Literature: The reported operative fixation techniques for vertical sacral fractures include iliosacral screw, sacral bar fixations, transiliac plating, and local plate osteosynthesis. Clinical as well as biomechanical studies have demonstrated that these conventional techniques are insufficient to stabilize the vertically unstable sacral fractures. Methods: To simulate a vertically unstable fractured sacrum, 12 synthetic pelvic models were prepared. In each model, a 5-mm gap was created through the left transforaminal zone (Denis zone II). The pubic symphysis was completely separated and then stabilized using a 3.5-mm reconstruction plate. Four each of the unstable pelvic models were then fixed with two iliosacral screws, a tension band plate, or a transiliac fixation plus one iliosacral screw. The left hemipelvis of these specimens was docked to a rigid base plate and loaded on an S1 endplate by using the Zwick Roell z010 material testing machine. Then, the vertical displacement and coronal tilt of the right hemipelves and the applied force were measured. Results: The transiliac fixation plus one iliosacral screw constructions could withstand a force at 5 mm of vertical displacement greater than the two iliosacral screw constructions (p=0.012) and the tension band plate constructions (p=0.003). The tension band plate constructions could withstand a force at $5^{\circ}$ of coronal tilt less than the two iliosacral screw constructions (p=0.027) and the transiliac fixation plus one iliosacral screw constructions (p=0.049). Conclusions: This study proposes the use of transiliac fixation in addition to an iliosacral screw to stabilize vertically unstable sacral fractures. Our biomechanical data demonstrated the superiority of adding transiliac fixation to withstand vertical displacement forces.