Ultrasonic properties in marrow-filled and water-filled bovine femoral trabecular bones in vitro.

ABSTRACT

Phase velocity and normalized broadband ultrasound attenuation (nBUA) were measured in 22 marrow-filled and water-filled bovine femoral trabecular bone samples. Replacement of marrow by water led to a significant increase in the mean phase velocity of 47 ± 12 m/s (+3.1%), but a decrease in the mean nBUA of 10.4 ± 2.9 dB/cm/MHz (-38.9%). All the ultrasonic properties in the marrow-filled and water-filled samples exhibited significant negative Pearson's correlation coefficients of r = -0.87 to -0.92 with porosity. High correlations were also observed between pairs of the ultrasonic properties, with r = 0.85 to 0.93.