Bone evaluation method

Abstract

A method for evaluating bone comprising the steps of: (a) determining a bone pattern (i) by measuring the photodensity of an X-ray photograph from the long bone of a limb or (ii) by photon absorptiometry from the long bone of a limb; (b) smoothing and symmetrizing the bone pattern to modify the same; (c) determining at least one index selected from the group consisting of an index of the bone cortical width (MCI), a bone width (D), a maximum bone density (GSmax), a minimum bone density (GSmin), a bone mineral content (.SIGMA.GS), and an average bone density (.SIGMA.GS/D or .SIGMA.GS/D.sup.2); and (d) evaluating the bone based on the at least one index. The bone evaluation also can be carried out by determining a bone density distribution, from the modified bone pattern obtained above, by setting a bone model having an elliptic bone cross-sectional external shape, a zonate bone cortex, and a bone density decreasing portion in the inside of the bone cortex. The bone evaluation can further be carried out by first obtaining modified patterns in a plurality of portions of the bone at a constant distance and, then, by determining a bone density distribution in each portion from the modified bone pattern in each portion by setting the above-mentioned bone model in each portion. The bone density distribution in each portion is classified, by color, based on the density values, and the X-ray image or photon absorptiometry image is converted to the image of the bone density distribution.