A simplified UTV hand tool featuring 2.25Â MHz transducers to measure the BMD of calcaneus-tested on acrylic blocks padded with fresh porcine tissue

The quantitative use of UTV (Ultrasound Transmission Velocity) on the calcaneus (i.e., the heel bone) to assess osteoporosis has been widely used in clinical practice and investigation. However, most existing commercial instruments are bulky and the measurement is largely under the assumption that the thickness of the heel bone is fixed. Moreover, present measuring techniques are unable to cope with the effects of covering soft tissue, thus are incapable of producing accurate results. This study proposes a simplified UTV hand tool. We mount two 2.25 MHz ultrasonic transducers on an industrial vernier caliper and test it on some acrylic testing blocks padded with fresh porcine tissue to simulate the human heel. From the responses obtained, we develop a way to eliminate the influences made by the accompanying soft tissue. Thus, more accurate UTV hand tool for the acrylic block, or the heel bone, can be derived. In our final tests, the error of UTV measurement drops to 1.98%.