Computer system and method for assessing dynamic bone quality

Abstract

A computer system for assessing dynamic bone quality is provided, including a memory that stores executable instructions, a central processing unit (CPU) capable of accessing the memory and executing the instructions to provide an output, and a receiver for receiving data input and transmitting it to the CPU, wherein the receiver is operably connected to: (1) a plurality of accelerometers, each accelerometer adapted to contact an exterior surface of a human subject at a load-bearing anatomical site and to receive input from each point of contact including acceleration response data; and (2) a force plate adapted to receive input including vertical ground reaction force data provided by a heel strike on the force plate, wherein the CPU executes the instructions to process the input data transmitted from the receiver to provide the output as a bone damping value. A method for assessing dynamic bone quality is also provided.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer system for assessing dynamic bone quality, the system comprising:
 a memory that stores executable instructions;   a central processing unit (CPU) capable of accessing the memory and executing the instructions to provide an output; and   a receiver for receiving data input and transmitting it to the CPU;   
       wherein the receiver is operably connected to:
 (1) a plurality of accelerometers, each accelerometer adapted to contact an exterior surface of a human subject at a load-bearing anatomical site of the subject and to receive input from each point of contact comprising acceleration response data; and (2) a force plate adapted to receive input comprising vertical ground reaction force data provided by a heel strike on the force plate; 
 
       wherein the CPU executes the instructions to process the input data transmitted from the receiver to provide the output as a bone damping value. 
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver is operably connected to at least one accelerometer adapted to contact an exterior surface of the subject at a non-load-bearing anatomical site of the subject. 
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the load-bearing anatomical sites are selected from the group consisting of the shins, the tibias, the femurs, and the vertebrae. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of accelerometers is selected from the group consisting of wired accelerometers, wireless accelerometers, MEMS based nano-accelerometers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 2  wherein the at least one accelerometer is selected from the group consisting of wired accelerometers, wireless accelerometers, MEMS based nano-accelerometers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the executable instructions comprise performing algorithms on the acceleration response data and the vertical ground reaction force data, the algorithms selected from the group consisting Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), transfer function, and Frequency Response Function (FRF). 
     
     
         7 . A method for assessing dynamic bone quality in a human subject, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) contacting at least one accelerometer to an exterior surface of a human subject at a load-bearing anatomical site of the subject;   (b) directing the subject to strike a heel on a force plate;   (c) measuring vertical ground reaction force due to the heel strike;   (d) measuring an acceleration response at each of the accelerometers;   (e) processing the vertical ground reaction force and acceleration responses at a CPU to determine a bone damping value; and   (f) comparing the bone damping value to a reference value to assess dynamic bone quality in the human subject.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein step (a) further comprises contacting at least one accelerometer to an exterior surface of a human subject at a non-load-bearing anatomical site of the subject. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the load-bearing anatomical sites are selected from the group consisting of the shins, the tibias, the femurs, and the vertebrae. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the at least one accelerometer is selected from the group consisting of wired accelerometers, wireless accelerometers, MEMS based nano-accelerometers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the at least one accelerometer is selected from the group consisting of wired accelerometers, wireless accelerometers, MEMS based nano-accelerometers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the processing step (e) comprises performing algorithms selected from the group consisting Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), transfer function, and Frequency Response Function (FRF). 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a bone damping value lower than the reference value indicates a risk of bone disease. 
     
     
         14 . The method  claim 13 , wherein the bone disease is selected from the group consisting of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and bone fracture. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising determining a bone mineral density of the human subject. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the bone mineral density is determined by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA).