Virtual bone biopsy
View Patent ↗The present indention comprises a system and method for analyzing trabecular bone structure. A means for scanning the trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner generates bone image data, which is then processed including correcting, deshadi4 and reducing noise in the image data.
1. A method of analyzing trabecular bone structure of a patient comprising the steps of:
selecting an anatomical region comprising the trabecular bone for scanning;
selecting a magnetic resonance imaging coil for scanning the selected region;
positioning and immobilizing the selected region relative to the coil, thereby minimizing movement; then
scanning trabecular bone of the patient using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data, wherein image data comprises data acquired by signals emitted from bone marrow regions of the scanned trabecular bone;
processing the image data comprising correcting the image data to compensate for involuntary movement by the patient during scanning;
deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeneity and reducing noise in the image data; and
outputting the processed image data or derived quantitative parameters, or combinations thereof.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises calculating network strength of the scanned bone.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises topological analysis of said bone.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises determining structural anisotropy.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein quantitative parameters comprises determining trabecular thickness.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of registering the bone image data to base line data when the scanning is a rescan of the trabecular bone.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of selecting an artifact free portion of the scanned trabecular bone.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining the patient's risk of bone fracture from the processed image data or derived quantitative parameters, or combinations thereof.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining the patient's response to medication by comparing the processed image data taken of the patient's trabecular bone before administration of the medication, with a processed image data from a matched trabecular bone image from the patient at a time point after administration of the medication.
10. An improved, scanned and processed image of the bone structure of a patient produced by the method of claim 1 .
11. A method of analyzing trabecular bone structure comprising the steps of:
selecting an anatomical region comprising the trabecular bone for scanning;
selecting a magnetic resonance imaging coil for scanning the selected region;
positioning and immobilizing the selected region relative to the coil, thereby minimizing movement; then
scanning trabecular bone using a magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanner to generate bone image data, wherein image data comprises data acquired by signals emitted from bone marrow regions of the scanned trabecular bone;
processing the image data comprising correcting the image data to compensate for unintended movement during scanning;
deshading the image data to minimize the effects of radio frequency inhomogeneity and reducing noise in the image; and
outputting the processed image data or derived quantitative parameters, or combinations thereof.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises calculating the network strength of the scanned bone network.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises topological analysis of said bone.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises determining structural anisotropy.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein deriving quantitative parameters comprises determining trabecular thickness.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of registering the bone image data to base line data, when the scanning is a rescan of the trabecular bone.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of selecting an artifact free portion of the scanned trabecular bone.
18. An improved, scanned and processed image of the bone structure of a patient produced by the method of claim 11 .