A Portable Ultrasonic Bone Densitometer For The Measurement Of Multiple Sites

The purpose of this study was to develop a new ultrasound device to estimate bone mineral density (BMD) at the multiple sites (radius and tibia). The device is entirely portable and handheld and permits evaluation of the BMD by computing a parameter known as speed of sound of first arriving signal (SOSFAS). The SOSFAS was achieved by the so-called time of flight (TOF) of ultrasonic propagation. Two parameters called SOSFAS-radius and SOSFAS-tibia were measured by temperature correction and be evaluated the correlation with the lumbar spine BMD. The correlation coefficient of SOSFAS-radius and SOSFAS-tibia with BMD was r=0.68 (p < 0.001), and r=0.77 (p < 0.001), respectively. Although X-ray methods are effective in bone mass assessment, osteoporosis remains one of the largest undiagnosed and under-diagnosed diseases in the world today. The research described here, in conjunction with the fact that the devices are designed to be manufactured at low cost, should enable the significant expansion of diagnosis and monitoring of osteoporosis.