Dynamic simulation of three dimensional architectural and mechanical alterations in human trabecular bone during menopause

X Sherry Liu; Angela H Huang; X Henry Zhang; Paul Sajda; Baohua Ji; X Edward Guo

doi:10.1016/j.bone.2008.04.008

Dynamic simulation of three dimensional architectural and mechanical alterations in human trabecular bone during menopause

Bone. 2008 Aug;43(2):292-301. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2008.04.008. Epub 2008 Apr 29.

Authors

X Sherry Liu¹, Angela H Huang¹, X Henry Zhang¹, Paul Sajda², Baohua Ji³, X Edward Guo⁴

Affiliations

¹ Bone Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, Mail Code 8904, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, USA.
² Laboratory for Intelligent Imaging and Neural Computing, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
³ Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
⁴ Bone Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, 351 Engineering Terrace, Mail Code 8904, 1210 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, USA. Electronic address: ed.guo@columbia.edu.

Abstract

A three dimensional (3D) computational simulation of dynamic process of trabecular bone remodeling was developed with all the parameters derived from physiological and clinical data. Contributions of the microstructural bone formation deficits: trabecular plate perforations, trabecular rod breakages, and isolated bone fragments, to the rapid bone loss and disruption of trabecular microarchitecture during menopause were studied. Eighteen human trabecular bone samples from femoral neck (FN) and spine were scanned using a micro computed tomography (microCT) system. Bone resorption and formation were simulated as a computational cycle corresponding to 40-day resorption/160-day formation. Resorption cavities were randomly created over the bone surface according to the activation frequency, which was strictly based on clinical data. Every resorption cavity was refilled during formation unless it caused trabecular plate perforation, trabecular rod breakage or isolated fragments. A 20-year-period starting 5 years before and ending 15 years after menopause was simulated for each specimen. Elastic moduli, standard and individual trabeculae segmentation (ITS)-based morphological parameters were evaluated for each simulated 3D image. For both spine and FN groups, the time courses of predicted bone loss pattern by microstructural bone formation deficits were fairly consistent with the clinical measurements. The percentage of bone loss due to trabecular plate perforation, trabecular rod breakage, and isolated bone fragments were 73.2%, 18.9% and 7.9% at the simulated 15 years after menopause. The ITS-based plate fraction (pBV/BV), mean plate surface area (pTb.S), plate number density (pTb.N), and mean rod thickness (rTb.Th) decreased while rod fraction (rBV/BV) and rod number density (rTb.N) increased after the simulated menopause. The dynamic bone remodeling simulation based on microstructural bone formation deficits predicted the time course of menopausal bone loss pattern of spine and FN. Microstructural plate perforation could be the primary cause of menopausal trabecular bone loss. The combined effect of trabeculae perforation, breakage, and isolated fragments resulted in fewer and smaller trabecular plates and more but thinner trabecular rods.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Biomechanical Phenomena
Bone Remodeling*
Bone and Bones / physiology*
Computer Simulation*
Female
Femur / physiology
Humans
Male
Menopause / physiology*
Middle Aged
Organ Size
Spine / physiology

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding