THE EFFECT OF OSTEOPOROSIS ON THE MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF BONE STRUCTURES

Since experimental data on the mode of failure of the lumbar vertebral body and the femoral neck scarce, a model predicting their fracture m echanisms under a representative loading is needed. This model should be ask to describe the inference of osteoporosis on the mechanical str ength, and should use BMC-measurement date as an input. A simple mecha nical model for both structures; composed of a thin-walled cylindrical cortual shell, filled with a trabecular bone core is used. We find th at the BMC evaluated as the mineral content in a 1 cm thick section (e xpressed in g/cm) is a good predictor for the strength of the vertebra l body, while for the femoral neck, additional information on the cort ical wall thickness is needed.