BEP - Bone Structure & Function

Determination of the differences between bone microarchitectural parameters of human tibial plateau bone samples measured with second-generation HR-pQCT and micro-CT

Janne Spierings

Reconstruction of bone sample using an analysis protocol to obtain bone microarchitectural parameters. HR-pQCT (left) and micro-CT (right)

High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) can visualize bone microarchitecture in vivo. In this research, the differences between bone microarchitectural parameters of human tibial plateau samples are determined with the use of HR-pQCT and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT).

Bone samples were drilled out of the tibial plateaus obtained after total knee-replacement surgery of six participants. The isotropic voxel size was 60.7 μm for the HR-pQCT and 21.0 μm for the micro-CT. Bone volume fractions (BV/TV), bone mineral densities (BMD), and other microarchitecture parameters (subchondral bone plate (SBP) thickness (SBP.Th), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), and bone porosity (Po.V/TV)) of the bone samples were assessed using two analysis protocols.

The bone microarchitectural parameters obtained with both imaging methods are compared and a significant difference is found for SBP bone volume fraction (SBP.BV/TV), tissue BMD (Tis.BMD), trabecular tissue BMD (Tb.BMD.tis), SBP.Th, Po.V/TV, Tb.Th, and Tb.N (p < 0.05). No significant difference is found for total BV/TV (Tot.BV/TV), trabecular BV/TV (Tb.BV/TV), total BMD (Tot.BMD), SBP total and tissue BMD (SBP.BMD.tot and SBP.BMD.tis), trabecular total BMD (Tb.BMD.tot), and Tb.Sp.

HR-pQCT could be used in further research, however, the differences in bone microarchitectural parameters between HR-pQCT and micro-CT should be considered.