Korean J Med Phys.  2007 Sep;18(3):172-178.

Ultrasonic Bone Densitometer by Measuring the Speed of Sound

• Jung MS
• Kim YS
• Hahn EJ

Abstract

An ultrasonic bone densitometer has been developed by measuring speed of sound signal transmitted and received on the skin, not through the horizontal axis but through the vertical one in tissue. The SOS(speed of sound) method measuring the time difference between the ultrasound signals reflected from the both sides of surface of bone could produce more precise result compared with the BUA(broadband ultrasound attenuation) method measuring the frequency difference. Middle finger is selected to be the best measurement position in order to increase the accuracy, after due consideration that the thickness of flesh at the down part of thumb shows too much variation although the ratio of the receiving signal is higher than the other fingers. The measured value by using SOS method shows almost the same result as compared with the conventional DEXA method.

Keyword

Ultrasound; Bonedensity

MeSH Terms

Axis, Cervical Vertebra
Fingers
Skin
Thumb
Ultrasonics*
Ultrasonography