MRI scanner that outputs bone strength indicators

摘要

Described herein are various technologies pertaining to diagnosing and/or prescribing treatment for osteoporosis. A bone of a patient is subjected to an MRI scan, and the resultant signal is subjected to a likelihood function. The output of the likelihood function are values that are parameters that are employed to ascertain connectivity of trabeculae in the bone of the patient and volumetric trabecular density of the bone.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, performing one-dimensional magnetic resonance scans of a bone of a patient to generate signals, the magnetic resonance scans performed at multiple respective angles relative to the bone of the patient; evaluating, by a processor, a likelihood function over the signals; generating, by the processor, values that are indicative of size, aspect ratio, and orientation of marrow phase pockets of the bone of the patient based upon the evaluating of the likelihood function over the signals; and providing data to an operator of the MRI system that is indicative of strength of the bone of the patient, the data based upon the values that are indicative of the size, aspect ratio, and orientation of the marrow phase pockets of the bone of the patient.