Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Regional Heterogeneity in the Configuration of the Intracortical Canals of the Femoral Shaft

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Calcified Tissue International Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) characterization of cortical porosity, most of which is under 100 µm in diameter, is usually confined to measurements made in 3–4 mm diameter cylinders of bone. We used micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanning of entire transaxial cross sections of human proximal femoral shafts (30–35 mm diameter) to quantify regional variation in porosity within the same scan. Complete, up to 10-mm-thick, transaxial slices of femoral upper shafts from 8 female cadavers were studied (n = 3 aged 29–37 years, n = 5 aged 72–90 years). Scanning was performed using high-resolution micro-CT (8.65 µm/voxel). Micro-CT volumes (10 × 10 × 5 mm) were selected via software in the anterior, medial and lateral regions. Images were segmented with voids appearing as 3D-interconnected canals. The percent void-to-tissue volume (Vo.V/TV) and the corresponding void surface area/TV were 86–309 % higher in older than younger subjects in anterior (p = 0.034), medial (p = 0.077), and lateral aspects (p = 0.034). Although not significant, void separation was reciprocally lower by 19–39 %, and void diameter was 65 % larger in older than younger subjects; void number tended to be 24–25 % higher medially and laterally but not anteriorly. For all specimens combined, medially there was higher Vo.V/TV and void surface area/TV than anteriorly (+48 %, p = 0.018; +33 %, p = 0.018) and laterally (+56 %, p = 0.062; +36 %, p = 0.043). There is regional heterogeneity in the 3D microarchitecture of the intracortical canals of the femoral shaft. The higher void volume in advanced age appears to be due to larger, rather than more, pores. However, creation of new canals from existing canals may contribute, depending on the location. High-resolution micro-computed tomography scanning of entire bone segments enables quantification of the 3D microanatomy of the intracortical void network at multiple locations.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.

References

  1. Zebaze RM, Ghasem-Zadeh A, Bohte A, Iuliano-Burns S, Mirams M, Price RI, Mackie EJ, Seeman E (2010) Intracortical remodelling and porosity in the distal radius and post-mortem femurs of women: a cross-sectional study. Lancet 375:1729–1736

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Thomas CD, Feik SA, Clement JG (2006) Increase in pore area, and not pore density, is the main determinant in the development of porosity in human cortical bone. J Anat 209:219–230

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Chappard C, Bensalah S, Olivier C, Gouttenoire PJ, Marchadier A, Benhamou C, Peyrin F (2013) 3D characterization of pores in the cortical bone of human femur in the elderly at different locations as determined by synchrotron micro-computed tomography images. Osteoporos Int 24:1023–1033

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Whiting WC, Zernicke RF (2008) Biomechanics of musculoskeletal injury. 2nd ed, Publisher: Human Kinetics, Champaign: chapter 3 basic biomechanics, material mechanics 80–92

  5. Bell KL, Loveridge N, Power J, Garrahan N, Meggitt BF, Reeve J (1999) Regional differences in cortical porosity in the fractured femoral neck. Bone 24:57–64

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. McCalden RW, McGeough JA, Barker MB, Court-Brown CM (1993) Age-related changes in the tensile properties of cortical bone. The relative importance of changes in porosity, mineralization, and microstructure. J Bone Joint Surg Am 75:1193–1205

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bala Y, Chapurlat R, Cheung AM, Felsenberg D, LaRoche M, Morris E, Reeve J, Thomas T, Zanchetta J, Bock O, Ghasem-Zadeh A, Djoumessi RM, Seeman E, Rizzoli R (2014) Risedronate slows or partly reverses cortical and trabecular microarchitectural deterioration in postmenopausal women. J Bone Miner Res 29:380–388

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Perilli E, Parkinson IH, Reynolds KJ (2012) Micro-CT examination of human bone: from biopsies towards the entire organ. Ann Ist Super Sanita 48:75–82

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Briggs AM, Perilli E, Parkinson IH, Wrigley TV, Fazzalari NL, Kantor S, Wark JD (2010) Novel assessment of subregional bone mineral density using DXA and pQCT and subregional microarchitecture using micro-CT in whole human vertebrae: applications, methods, and correspondence between technologies. J Clin Densitom 13:161–174

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Perilli E, Briggs AM, Kantor S, Codrington J, Wark JD, Parkinson IH, Fazzalari NL (2012) Failure strength of human vertebrae: prediction using bone mineral density measured by DXA and bone volume by micro-CT. Bone 50:1416–1425

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cooper DM, Matyas JR, Katzenberg MA, Hallgrimsson B (2004) Comparison of microcomputed tomographic and microradiographic measurements of cortical bone porosity. Calcif Tissue Int 74:437–447

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Cooper DM, Thomas CD, Clement JG, Turinsky AL, Sensen CW, Hallgrimsson B (2007) Age-dependent change in the 3D structure of cortical porosity at the human femoral midshaft. Bone 40:957–965

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Donaldson FE, Pankaj P, Cooper DM, Thomas CD, Clement JG, Simpson AH (2011) Relating age and micro-architecture with apparent-level elastic constants: a micro-finite element study of female cortical bone from the anterior femoral midshaft. Proc Inst Mech Eng H 225:585–596

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Dempster DW, Compston JE, Drezner MK, Glorieux FH, Kanis JA, Malluche H, Meunier PJ, Ott SM, Recker RR, Parfitt AM (2013) Standardized nomenclature, symbols, and units for bone histomorphometry: a 2012 update of the report of the ASBMR Histomorphometry Nomenclature Committee. J Bone Miner Res 28:2–17

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Ulrich D, van Rietbergen B, Laib A, Rüegsegger P (1999) The ability of three-dimensional structural indices to reflect mechanical aspects of trabecular bone. Bone 25:55–60

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hildebrand T, Rüegsegger P (1997) A new method for the model-independent assessment of thickness in three-dimensional images. J Microsc 185:67–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Perilli E, Baruffaldi F, Bisi MC, Cristofolini L, Cappello A (2006) A physical phantom for the calibration of three-dimensional X-ray microtomography examination. J Microsc 222:124–134

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Lorensen WE, Cline HE (1987) Marching cubes: a high resolution 3D surface construction algorithm. Comput Graph 21:163–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Jordan GR, Loveridge N, Bell KL, Power J, Rushton N, Reeve J (2000) Spatial clustering of remodeling osteons in the femoral neck cortex: a cause of weakness in hip fracture? Bone 26:305–313

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Cadet ER, Gafni RI, McCarthy EF, McCray DR, Bacher JD, Barnes KM, Baron J (2003) Mechanisms responsible for longitudinal growth of the cortex: coalescence of trabecular bone into cortical bone. J Bone Joint Surg Am 85-A:1739–1748

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Atkins GJ, Findlay DM (2012) Osteocyte regulation of bone mineral: a little give and take. Osteoporos Int 23:2067–2079

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Teti A, Zallone A (2009) Do osteocytes contribute to bone mineral homeostasis? Osteocytic osteolysis revisited. Bone 44:11–16

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Qing H, Ardeshirpour L, Pajevic PD, Dusevich V, Jahn K, Kato S, Wysolmerski J, Bonewald LF (2012) Demonstration of osteocytic perilacunar/canalicular remodeling in mice during lactation. J Bone Miner Res 27:1018–1029

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Stein MS, Feik SA, Thomas CD, Clement JG, Wark JD (1999) An automated analysis of intracortical porosity in human femoral bone across age. J Bone Miner Res 14:624–632

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Martin RB, Pickett JC, Zinaich S (1980) Studies of skeletal remodeling in aging men. Clin Orthop Relat Res 149:268–282

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Biewener AA (1991) Musculoskeletal design in relation to body size. J Biomech 24(Suppl 1):19–29

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Lanyon LE (1992) The success and failure of the adaptive response to functional load-bearing in averting bone fracture. Bone 13(Suppl 2):S17–S21

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Thomas CD, Feik SA, Clement JG (2005) Regional variation of intracortical porosity in the midshaft of the human femur: age and sex differences. J Anat 206:115–125

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Feik SA, Thomas CD, Bruns R, Clement JG (2000) Regional variations in cortical modeling in the femoral mid-shaft: sex and age differences. Am J Phys Anthropol 112:191–205

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Ostertag A, Peyrin F, Fernandez S, Laredo JD, de Vernejoul MC, Chappard C (2014) Cortical measurements of the tibia from high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography images: a comparison with synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography. Bone 63:7–14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Bousson V, Peyrin F, Bergot C, Hausard M, Sautet A, Laredo JD (2004) Cortical bone in the human femoral neck: three-dimensional appearance and porosity using synchrotron radiation. J Bone Miner Res 19:794–801

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Lieber RL (1990) Statistical significance and statistical power in hypothesis testing. J Orthop Res 8:304–309

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Bousson V, Meunier A, Bergot C, Vicaut E, Rocha MA, Morais MH, Laval-Jeantet AM, Laredo JD (2001) Distribution of intracortical porosity in human midfemoral cortex by age and gender. J Bone Miner Res 16:1308–1317

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Jowsey J (1960) Age changes in human bone. Clin Orthop Relat Res 38:210–217

    Google Scholar 

  35. Atkinson PJ (1965) Changes in resorption spaces in femoral cortical bone with age. J Pathol Bacteriol 89:173–178

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding for this study was provided by Osteoporosis Australia/Australia New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, Amgen-GSK Grants Program 2012.

Conflict of Interest

Egon Perilli, Yohann Bala, Roger Zebaze, Karen J Reynolds, and Ego Seeman declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Device Research Institute, School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia

    Egon Perilli & Karen J. Reynolds

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Yohann Bala & Roger Zebaze

  3. Departments of Endocrinology and Medicine, Austin Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Ego Seeman

Authors
  1. Egon Perilli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yohann Bala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Roger Zebaze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Karen J. Reynolds
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ego Seeman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Egon Perilli.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Perilli, E., Bala, Y., Zebaze, R. et al. Regional Heterogeneity in the Configuration of the Intracortical Canals of the Femoral Shaft. Calcif Tissue Int 97, 327–335 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-015-0014-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-015-0014-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation