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ST: Fachverband Strahlen- und Medizinphysik

ST 2: Advanced Diagnostic Imaging II

ST 2.1: Talk

Monday, March 26, 2012, 15:00–15:20, HFT-FT 101

X-ray Vector Radiography for Bone Micro-Architecture Diagnostics — •Andreas Malecki, Guillaume Potdevin, Thomas Biernath, Martin Bech, and Franz Pfeiffer — Department of Physics and Institute of Medical Engineering, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany

The non-invasive estimation of fracture risk in osteoporosis remains a challenge in the clinical routine and is mainly based on an assessment of bone density by dual X-ray absorption (DXA). Although bone micro-architecture is known to play an important role for bone fragility, its visualisation implies an imaging resolution better than 100 µ m, which limits the field of view and increases the necessary radiation dose. Here we describe a new method, X-ray Vector Radiography (XVR), based on X-ray scattering rather than absorption as contrast source, which yields information about the local orientation and degree of anisotropy of the bone micro-structure. This information is highly relevant for osteoporosis diagnostic. We demonstrate the feasibility by showing first experimental X-ray Vector Radiographies of human vertebra bone samples, yielding information on the trabecular structure.