Ash Density and Trabecular Bone Structure in Proximal Femur Fracture

Abstract

The likelihood of a given bone fracturing atraumatically is difficult to assess.. A number of factors - age, frequency of falling, cushioning by overlying tissues, protective reactions - as well as bone strength determine fracture risk. The interrelationships between these factors make it hard to evaluate the effect of any one variable in a study. The most common method of assessing bone strength is to use the surrogate method of bone mineral content (BMC) or bone mineral density (BMD). The architectural breakdown of the trabeculae, the mineral "mesh" which makes up bone, is a little-studied factor which may help to better predict fracture. In this thesis, the results of quantitative measurements of trabecular architecture, BMD, and strength of femoral heads scavenged from hip replacement surgery will be presented. This is intended to illuminate the relationships between bone strength, bone density, and trabecular architecture.