Estimation of mechanical stiffness by finite element analysis of ultrasound computed tomography (UCT-FEA); a comparison with X-ray µCT based FEA in cancellous bone replica models

The coefficient of determination (R2) to estimate mechanical test derived stiffness was 99% for µCT-FEA and 84% for UCT-FEA. In conclusion, UCT-FEA is a promising tool for estimating the mechanical integrity of a bone. This study demonstrated that UCT-FEA, based upon quantitative attenuation images, provided a comparable estimation of gold standard mechanical-test stiffness and therefore has significant potential clinical utility for osteoporotic fracture risk assessment and quantitative assessment of musculoskeletal tissues.