Method, a system and a computer program for determining data defining an estimate of the thickness and density of a cortical bone tissue structure of interest from imaging data

Abstract

Provided are methods for determining data defining an estimate of the thickness and density of a cortical bone tissue structure of interest from imaging data. The methods can include modelling measured variations of an imaging parameter along a line crossing a cortical bone tissue structure of interest as a function having a thickness parameter, a first density parameter, and a blur parameter; determining a thickness-density relationship between bone tissue structure density and bone tissue structure thickness from multiple thickness and density measurements made on a reference cortical bone tissue structure of a subject which is not the patient; and fitting the function to the measured variations while ensuring the first density parameter and thickness parameter follow the thickness-density relationship, to search for optimal values that include data defining an estimate of the thickness and density of the cortical bone tissue structure of interest. Also provided are systems and computer programs to implement the disclosed methods.