An investigation on osteoporosis based on guided wave propagation in multi-layered bone plates

Abstract

In this study, the multi-layer structure of bones has been used to simulate bone loss, and the guided waves were transmitted to the double-layer structured simulated bone plates, which are cortical bone and spongy bone. The soft tissue layer was simulated by water and the theoretical solution of the multilayer structure has been established. The guided waves were excited by the laser ultrasound technique and the Recursive Asymptotic Stiffness Matrix (RASM) was used to build a multilayer structure. Results show that, as the cortical bone is thinned, the dispersion relationship curve mode shifts toward high frequency and low phase velocity. Also, as the spongy bone density decreases, the dispersion relationship curve mode moves toward high frequency and high phase velocity. Further, it is found that, as the porosity rises, the mode of the dispersion relationship curve shifts to the direction of low frequency and low phase velocity. Through the addition of soft tissues and introduction of simultaneous changes in parameters, osteoporosis can be distinguished with high accuracy and hence this method can be applied to the detection of osteoporosis in the future.

Keywords: Elastic modulus; Laser ultrasonic technique; Multilayer bone; Osteoporosis; Porosity; Soft tissue.