Comparison of structure extraction methods for in vivo trabecular bone measurements

In vivo trabecular bone structure measurements have become available recent ly using high resolution quantitative computed tomography (3D-QCT) or magne tic resonance imaging. In this work different structure extraction and morp hometric evaluation techniques are compared, which are of potential use for in vivo assessment of human cancellous bone structure. Given the spatial r esolution of actual in vivo examination procedures, best results are obtain ed by extracting first the skeleton of the structure and applying model ind ependent 3D techniques to calculate trabecular number, then deriving mean t rabecular thickness and separation from densitometric hone volume fraction and Tb.N*. Traditional histomorphometric methods based on bone surface and volume ratios and assuming a plate model performed less well. (C) 1999 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.