High-Resolution Imaging of Bone Health

Evaluation of bone composition and microstructure in-vivo in humans remains a major challenge for imaging technologies because of stringent requirements on quantitative accuracy and spatial resolution (100 μm or better for trabecular microarchitecture). Development of new in-vivo bone imaging systems needs to balance those requirements against the need to minimize the dose of ionizing radiation and maintain reasonable scan times. This talk will review recent advances in hardware and algorithms for quantitative assessment of bone health, primarily in the area of x-ray Cone-Beam CT using high-resolution CMOS x-ray detectors. Advanced analytical and Monte Carlo models to support computational optimization of imaging systems will be presented. The underlying algorithmic developments involve optimization-based reconstruction incorporating models of system blur and polyenergetic x-ray propagation, methods for compensation of distortions due to patient motion during scanning, and techniques for enhanced visualization and biomechanical analysis of microscopic features of skeletal anatomy. Examples of translation of the new imaging technologies to applications in early detection of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and monitoring of fractures will be discussed.