Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Analysis of trabecular bone using site-specific fractal values calculated from cone beam CT images

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Oral Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of the study was to explore the use of cone beam CT (CBCT) images to calculate fractal values of trabecular bone.

Materials and methods

Seventy-nine CBCT scans were used. Seven sites were selected from each scan. These sites were: coronal views of the (1) right and (2) left side of the mandible; coronal views of the (3) right and (4) left maxilla; axially corrected coronal views of the (5) right and (6) left condylar heads through the largest width, and (7) a sagittal section through the second cervical vertebral (C2) body. Fractal values were calculated from a total of 553 images using the box-counting method. These values were categorized and analyzed for site- and gender-specific differences.

Result

Fractal values decreased in most of the sites with increasing age. Values in males were generally higher than those in females. Values did not change significantly from right side to left side of the jaw. However, values from the mandible, maxilla, condyle and C2 vertebrae differed significantly from each other, suggesting a site-specific nature of the fractal value (p < 0.001). The lowest and highest fractal values were in the mandible and C2 vertebrae, respectively (1.313 and 1.536, respectively).

Conclusion

Fractal values can detect differences in the trabecular bone morphology in different parts of the jaw. Fractal values can potentially be used for objective analysis of the trabecular bone using CBCT images.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. White SC, Rudolph DJ. Alterations of the trabecular pattern of the jaws in patients with osteoporosis. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 1999;88(5):628–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Geraets WG, van der Stelt PF. Fractal properties of bone. Dento Maxillo Facial Radiol. 2000;29(3):144–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Majumdar S, Link TM, Millard J, Lin JC, Augat P, Newitt D, et al. In vivo assessment of trabecular bone structure using fractal analysis of distal radius radiographs. Med Phys. 2000;27(11):2594–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Link TM, Majumdar S, Lin JC, Newitt D, Augat P, Ouyang X, et al. A comparative study of trabecular bone properties in the spine and femur using high resolution MRI and CT. J Bone Miner Res. 1998;13(1):122–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Chen SK, Oviir T, Lin CH, Leu LJ, Cho BH, Hollender L. Digital imaging analysis with mathematical morphology and fractal dimension for evaluation of periapical lesions following endodontic treatment. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2005;100(4):467–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Dougherty G, Henebry GM. Fractal signature and lacunarity in the measurement of the texture of trabecular bone in clinical CT images. Med Eng Phys. 2001;23(6):369–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Dougherty G, Henebry GM. Lacunarity analysis of spatial pattern in CT images of vertebral trabecular bone for assessing osteoporosis. Med Eng Phys. 2002;24(2):129–38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Lespessailles E, Poupon S, Niamane R, Loiseau-Peres S, Derommelaere G, Harba R, et al. Fractal analysis of trabecular bone texture on calcaneus radiographs: effects of age, time since menopause and hormone replacement therapy. Osteoporos Int. 2002;13(5):366–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Yasar F, Akgunlu F. Fractal dimension and lacunarity analysis of dental radiographs. Dento Maxillo Facial Radiol. 2005;34(5):261–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Demirbas AK, Ergun S, Guneri P, Aktener BO, Boyacioglu H. Mandibular bone changes in sickle cell anemia: fractal analysis. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2008;106(1):e41–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Yu YY, Chen H, Lin CH, Chen CM, Oviir T, Chen SK, et al. Fractal dimension analysis of periapical reactive bone in response to root canal treatment. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2009;107(2):283–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kim ST, Won SY, Kim SH, Paik DJ, Song WC, Koh KS, et al. Variations in the trabecular bone ratio of the maxilla according to sex, age, and region using micro-computed tomography in Koreans. J Craniofacial Surg. 2011;22(2):654–8 Epub 2011/03/19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Fanuscu MI, Chang TL. Three-dimensional morphometric analysis of human cadaver bone: microstructural data from maxilla and mandible. Clin Oral Implant Res. 2004;15(2):213–8 Epub 2004/03/11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Caligiuri P, Giger ML, Favus M. Multifractal radiographic analysis of osteoporosis. Med Phys. 1994;21(4):503–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Majumdar S, Lin J, Link T, Millard J, Augat P, Ouyang X, et al. Fractal analysis of radiographs: assessment of trabecular bone structure and prediction of elastic modulus and strength. Med Phys. 1999;26(7):1330–40.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hua Y, Nackaerts O, Duyck J, Maes F, Jacobs R. Bone quality assessment based on cone beam computed tomography imaging. Clin Oral Implant Res. 2009;20(8):767–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Pothuaud L, Benhamou CL, Porion P, Lespessailles E, Harba R, Levitz P. Fractal dimension of trabecular bone projection texture is related to three-dimensional microarchitecture. J Bone Miner Res. 2000;15(4):691–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Parfitt AM. Bone remodeling and bone loss: understanding the pathophysiology of osteoporosis. Clin Obstet Gynecol. 1987;30(4):789–811.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Liang X, Jacobs R, Hassan B, Li L, Pauwels R, Corpas L, et al. A comparative evaluation of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and Multi-Slice CT (MSCT) Part I. On subjective image quality. Euro J Radiol. 2010;75(2):265–9 Epub 2009/05/05.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. White SC. Cone-beam imaging in dentistry. Health Phys. 2008;95(5):628–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Parfitt GJ. An investigation of the normal variations in alveolar bone trabeculation. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1962;15:1453–63 Epub 1962/12/01.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

Laurence Gaalaas received a summer research fellowship in 2009. The authors do not have any financial interest to disclose. This publication [or project] was supported by grant no. 1UL1RR033183 from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to the University of Minnesota Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CTSI or the NIH. The University of Minnesota CTSI is part of a national Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) consortium created to accelerate laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Laurence Gaalaas

  2. Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Lisa Henn & Philippe R. Gaillard

  3. Division of Oral Medicine and Radiology, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, Room: 7-536 Moos Tower, 515 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Mansur Ahmad & Mohammad Saiful Islam

Authors
  1. Laurence Gaalaas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lisa Henn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Philippe R. Gaillard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mansur Ahmad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mohammad Saiful Islam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Saiful Islam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gaalaas, L., Henn, L., Gaillard, P.R. et al. Analysis of trabecular bone using site-specific fractal values calculated from cone beam CT images. Oral Radiol 30, 179–185 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-013-0163-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-013-0163-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation