Statistical properties of trabecular bone backscatter: Experimental and simulations results

The presented investigations were intended to compare the experimental results obtained from the heel bones in vivo with the results of simulations. Ultrasonic RF echoes were collected using two bone scanners operating at 0.58 MHz and 1.3 MHz. The simulations of the backscattered RF echoes were performed using the scattering model of the trabecular bone that consisted of cylindrical and spherical elements uniformly distributed in water. For each measured or simulated RF backscatter statistical properties of the signal envelope was determined. Experimental results suggest deviations from the Rayleigh distribution. Simulation results suggest that deviations from Rayleigh distribution depend on the variation of trabeculae diameters and the number of thin trabeculae. Experimentally determined deviations corresponded well with the deviations calculated from simulated echoes assuming trabeculae thickness variation equal to published histomorphometric study results.