Measurement of cancellous bone strength correlations with mineral density, ageing and disease.

A strain-transducer to measure bone strength is presented. Cancellous bone specimens were taken at autopsy from the iliac crests of 28 women and 66 men. There was a good correlation between bone strength, age and bone mineral density. Females had a lower bone strength than males. The bone strength of patients who died of chronic disease known to cause osteoporosis was lower than that of subjects who suffered sudden death. The equipment is also suitable for in vivo studies of human cancellous bone strength.