Computer characterization of trabecular bone pattern

The paper describes the instruments and the analysis method used in a preliminary study of osteoporosis on conventional X-ray films. Twenty cases have been studied by measuring the integral and the high frequency value of the signals extracted from digitized radiograms; both measurements depend on the bone mineral content and on the trabecular bone pattern. Further studies will be executed in order to determine the effectiveness of the applied procedures, which allow to obtain indexes of the bone mineral content and of the pattern coarseness in accurately selected measurement sites.