Ko Hoon, Jeong Kwanmoon, Lee Chang-Hoon, Jun Hong Young, Jeong Changwon, Lee Myeung Su, Nam Yunyoung, Yoon Kwon-Ha, Lee Jinseok
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wonkwang University College of Medicine, Iksan Daero 460, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538 Republic of Korea.
Department of Rheumatology Internal Medicine, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538 Republic of Korea.
Springerplus. 2016 Aug 18;5(1):1360. doi: 10.1186/s40064-016-3032-5. eCollection 2016.
Image artifacts affect the quality of medical images and may obscure anatomic structure and pathology. Numerous methods for suppression and correction of scattered image artifacts have been suggested in the past three decades. In this paper, we assessed the feasibility of use of information on scattered artifacts for estimation of bone mineral density (BMD) without dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or quantitative computed tomographic imaging (QCT).
To investigate the relationship between scattered image artifacts and BMD, we first used a forearm phantom and cone-beam computed tomography. In the phantom, we considered two regions of interest-bone-equivalent solid material containing 50 mg HA per cm(-3) and water-to represent low- and high-density trabecular bone, respectively. We compared the scattered image artifacts in the high-density material with those in the low-density material. The technique was then applied to osteoporosis patients and healthy subjects to assess its feasibility for BMD estimation.
The high-density material produced a greater number of scattered image artifacts than the low-density material. Moreover, the radius and ulna of healthy subjects produced a greater number of scattered image artifacts than those from osteoporosis patients.
Although other parameters, such as bone thickness and X-ray incidence, should be considered, our technique facilitated BMD estimation directly without DXA or QCT. We believe that BMD estimation based on assessment of scattered image artifacts may benefit the prevention, early treatment and management of osteoporosis.
图像伪影会影响医学图像质量，可能会掩盖解剖结构和病变。在过去三十年中，已经提出了许多抑制和校正散射图像伪影的方法。在本文中，我们评估了在不使用双能X线吸收法（DXA）或定量计算机断层成像（QCT）的情况下，利用散射伪影信息估计骨密度（BMD）的可行性。
为了研究散射图像伪影与骨密度之间的关系，我们首先使用了前臂模型和锥束计算机断层扫描。在模型中，我们考虑了两个感兴趣区域——每立方厘米含有50毫克羟基磷灰石（HA）的骨等效固体材料和水，分别代表低密度和高密度小梁骨。我们比较了高密度材料和低密度材料中的散射图像伪影。然后将该技术应用于骨质疏松症患者和健康受试者，以评估其在估计骨密度方面的可行性。
高密度材料产生的散射图像伪影比低密度材料多。此外，健康受试者的桡骨和尺骨产生的散射图像伪影比骨质疏松症患者的多。
尽管应考虑其他参数，如骨厚度和X线入射角，但我们的技术无需DXA或QCT即可直接促进骨密度估计。我们认为，基于散射图像伪影评估的骨密度估计可能有益于骨质疏松症的预防、早期治疗和管理。
