Project background: Osteoporosis is defined as low bone mass, and results in a markedly increased risk of skeletal fractures. The number of osteoporosis related bone fractures continuously increases, and it has been estimated that about 40% of all women above 50 years will suffer from an osteoporotic fracture leading to hospital treatment. Development of new drugs to reduce bone loss or increase bone mass is promising. However, it requires that the individuals at risk can be accurately identified.
Current osteoporosis diagnostics is largely based on measurements of bone mineral density (BMD), using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the hip or the lumbar spine. DXA based BMD only a moderate predictor of fracture risk. Novel methods that account for all characteristics of the bone and their influence on the bone?s resistance to fracture are needed.
Objectives: To improve osteoporosis diagnosis and fracture risk assessment, by integrating functional imaging of bone with mechanical modeling of bone strength and prediction of fracture risk. This will be accomplished by combining DXA imaging, a pre-developed shape template, statistical shape modeling, and finite element analysis (FEA).
Approach: In the first step, a method will be developed to estimate the 3D geometry of the hip bone based on a 2D image and a shape template. This method should be able to describe both the external geometry and the internal bone mineral density distribution. Thereafter the shape template and the 2D image of the patient, is used together with finite element analyses to assess the bone strength and the individuals' fracture risk. Validation of the method will be achieved by experimental mechanical testing, and by comparison with images from clinical patients with and without history of hip fractures.
The project includes both experimental and numerical parts, and is a part of a collaborative project with University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland, and Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Department work such as teaching in the department's courses are part of normal extent (20%).
Doctoral Student in Solid Mechanics
