학술논문
MRI-based Texture Analysis of Trabecular Bone for Opportunistic Screening of Skeletal Fragility
Clinical Research Article
Clinical Research Article
Document Type
Academic Journal
Author
Source
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. August 2021, Vol. 106 Issue 8, p2233, 9 p.
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
0021-972X
Abstract
Osteoporosis and fragility fracture are extremely prevalent, associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and health care costs (1-3). However, skeletal fragility is often overlooked, even among individuals at high risk for [...]
Context: Many individuals at high risk for osteoporosis and fragility fracture are never screened by traditional methods. Opportunistic use of imaging obtained for other clinical purposes is required to foster identification of these patients. Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate texture features as a measure of bone fragility, by comparing clinically acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from individuals with and without a history of fragility fracture. Methods: This study retrospectively investigated 100 subjects who had lumbar spine MRI performed at our institution. Cases (n = 50) were postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and a confirmed history of fragility fracture. Controls (n = 50) were age- and race-matched postmenopausal women with no known fracture history. Trabecular bone from the lumbar vertebrae was segmented to create regions of interest within which a gray level co-occurrence matrix was used to quantify the distribution and spatial organization of voxel intensity. Heterogeneity in the trabecular bone texture was assessed by several features, including contrast (variability), entropy (disorder), and angular second moment (homogeneity). Results: Texture analysis revealed that trabecular bone was more heterogeneous in fracture patients. Specifically, fracture patients had greater texture variability (+76% contrast; P = 0.005), greater disorder (+10% entropy; P = 0.005), and less homogeneity (-50% angular second moment; P = 0.005) compared with controls. Conclusions: MRI-based textural analysis of trabecular bone discriminated between patients with known osteoporotic fractures and controls. Further investigation is required to validate this promising methodology, which could greatly expand the number of patients screened for skeletal fragility. Key Words: osteoporosis, screening, menopause, radiology
Context: Many individuals at high risk for osteoporosis and fragility fracture are never screened by traditional methods. Opportunistic use of imaging obtained for other clinical purposes is required to foster identification of these patients. Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate texture features as a measure of bone fragility, by comparing clinically acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from individuals with and without a history of fragility fracture. Methods: This study retrospectively investigated 100 subjects who had lumbar spine MRI performed at our institution. Cases (n = 50) were postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and a confirmed history of fragility fracture. Controls (n = 50) were age- and race-matched postmenopausal women with no known fracture history. Trabecular bone from the lumbar vertebrae was segmented to create regions of interest within which a gray level co-occurrence matrix was used to quantify the distribution and spatial organization of voxel intensity. Heterogeneity in the trabecular bone texture was assessed by several features, including contrast (variability), entropy (disorder), and angular second moment (homogeneity). Results: Texture analysis revealed that trabecular bone was more heterogeneous in fracture patients. Specifically, fracture patients had greater texture variability (+76% contrast; P = 0.005), greater disorder (+10% entropy; P = 0.005), and less homogeneity (-50% angular second moment; P = 0.005) compared with controls. Conclusions: MRI-based textural analysis of trabecular bone discriminated between patients with known osteoporotic fractures and controls. Further investigation is required to validate this promising methodology, which could greatly expand the number of patients screened for skeletal fragility. Key Words: osteoporosis, screening, menopause, radiology