Clinical assessment of fragile bone strength
Inventors
Kopperdahl, David L. • Hoffmann, Paul Frederick • Lee, David Choen • Keaveny, Tony M.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11850061-B2
Publication Date
2023-12-26
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system and method for the use of the results from a structural analysis of a patient's bone from a clinical scan, to be used clinically to manage patients in a widespread and consistent fashion.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and/or a machine-implemented method for generating a set of data representing a set of images of a bone of a patient. The method receives a predetermined interventional threshold value of a fragile-bone-strength condition for a bone strength parameter and virtually stresses the bone, using a finite element analysis, to the predetermined interventional threshold value to produce a set of results for a virtual stressing.
Using the set of results, the method determines a set of regions of virtual biomechanical failure of the bone for the predetermined value of the virtual stressing. The predetermined interventional threshold value corresponds to a fragile-bone-strength condition and is expressed in terms of a bone strength parameter, including a level of force at an interventional threshold value of bone strength.
The method generates outputs that represent the virtual stressing and the determined regions of virtual biomechanical failure, and may visualize regions as static images. Embodiments include predetermined threshold force levels selected within approximate ranges for vertebral strength and sideways-fall femoral strength, with ranges specified for women and men, and combinations thereof. Other embodiments include predetermined interventional threshold values that also include a low-bone-strength condition, with force ranges specified similarly for vertebral strength and sideways-fall femoral strength.
Claims Coverage
The relevant independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00012, clm-00013, and clm-00014. Across these claims, the core inventive features are threshold-based virtual finite-element stressing and determining regions of virtual biomechanical failure, with force-level ranges specified for fragile-bone-strength and low-bone-strength conditions.
Virtual stressing to a fragile-bone-strength interventional threshold with finite element analysis
Receiving a predetermined interventional threshold value of a fragile-bone-strength condition for a bone strength parameter; stressing virtually, using a finite element analysis, the bone to said predetermined interventional threshold value of said fragile-bone-strength condition producing a set of results for a virtual stressing.
Regions of virtual biomechanical failure for the predetermined threshold stressing
Determining, using said set of results, a set of regions of virtual biomechanical failure of the bone for said predetermined value of said virtual stressing.
Force-level ranges for fragile-bone-strength threshold by anatomy and sex
The predetermined interventional threshold value includes a level of force at an interventional threshold value of bone strength for a fragile-bone-strength condition, with values selected from approximately 4,500±900 N, 6,500±1,300 N, 3,000±600 N, and 3,500±700 N for vertebral strength and sideways-fall femoral strength in women and men.
Force-level ranges for low-bone-strength threshold by anatomy and sex
The predetermined interventional threshold value includes a level of force at an interventional threshold value of bone strength for a low-bone-strength condition, with values selected from approximately 6,000±1,200 N, 8,500±1,700 N, 4,000±800 N, and 5,000±1,000 N for vertebral strength and sideways-fall femoral strength in women and men.
Across the independent claims, the inventive approach centers on receiving an interventional threshold value for a bone-strength condition, virtually stressing the bone using finite element analysis to that threshold, and determining regions of virtual biomechanical failure. The claims further define the threshold value in terms of force-level ranges tied to vertebral strength and sideways-fall femoral strength for women and men, for fragile-bone-strength and low-bone-strength conditions.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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