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Normative values for CT-based texture analysis of vertebral bodies in dual X-ray absorptiometry-confirmed, normally mineralized subjects

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Abstract

Objectives

To develop age-, gender-, and regional-specific normative values for texture analysis (TA) of spinal computed tomography (CT) in subjects with normal bone mineral density (BMD), as defined by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and to determine age-, gender-, and regional-specific differences.

Materials and methods

In this retrospective, IRB-approved study, TA was performed on sagittal CT bone images of the thoracic and lumbar spine using dedicated software (MaZda) in 141 individuals with normal DXA BMD findings. Numbers of female and male subjects were balanced in each of six age decades. Three hundred and five TA features were analyzed in thoracic and lumbar vertebrae using free-hand regions-of-interest. Intraclass correlation (ICC) coefficients were calculated for determining intra- and inter-observer agreement of each feature. Further dimension reduction was performed with correlation analyses.

Results

The TA features with an ICC < 0.81 indicating compromised intra- and inter-observer agreement and with Pearson correlation scores r > 0.8 with other features were excluded from further analysis for dimension reduction. From the remaining 31 texture features, a significant correlation with age was found for the features mean (r = −0.489, p < 0.001), variance (r = −0.681, p < 0.001), kurtosis (r = 0.273, p < 0.001), and WavEnLL_s4 (r = 0.273, p < 0.001). Significant differences were found between genders for various higher-level texture features (p < 0.001). Regional differences among the thoracic spine, thoracic–lumbar junction, and lumbar spine were found for most TA features (p < 0.021).

Conclusion

This study established normative values of TA features on CT images of the spine and showed age-, gender-, and regional-specific differences in individuals with normal BMD as defined by DXA.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

CT:

Computed tomography

DICOM:

Digital imaging and communications in medicine

DXA:

Dual X-ray absorptiometry

FOV:

Field of view

GLCM:

Gray level co-occurrence matrix

IRB:

Institutional review board

kVp:

Peak kilovoltage

L:

Lumbar vertebra(e)

RLM:

Run length matrix

SD:

Standard deviation

TA:

Texture analysis

Th:

Thoracic vertebra(e)

TLJ:

Thoracic–lumbar junction

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Manoj Mannil, Matthias Eberhard, Anton S. Becker, Hatem Alkadhi & Roman Guggenberger

  2. Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Denise Schönenberg & Georg Osterhoff

  3. Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Computer Vision Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Sternwartstrasse 7, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Ender Konukoglu

  4. Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Gloriastrasse 25, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Diana P. Frey

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  1. Manoj Mannil
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  2. Matthias Eberhard
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Correspondence to Roman Guggenberger.

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Mannil, M., Eberhard, M., Becker, A.S. et al. Normative values for CT-based texture analysis of vertebral bodies in dual X-ray absorptiometry-confirmed, normally mineralized subjects. Skeletal Radiol 46, 1541–1551 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-017-2728-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-017-2728-0

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