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.