This paper investigates the feasibility of using ultrasonic guided waves for assessing cortical bone and hence aid in detecting conditions such as osteoporosis. Guided wave propagation in bone systems modeled as multilayered tubular structures consisting of anisotropic bone filled with viscous marrow and surrounded by tissue are studied using the Semi Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) method. Effects of changes to cortical bone thickness are investigated. An attempt is also made to consider bone anisotropy in the models. The results, validated by experiments with bone phantoms, show that material and geometric condition strongly impacts the velocity of guided waves supported in the bone system. Identification of optimal guided wave modes for practical assessment is also discussed. © 2016 Acoustical Society of America.

Prabhu Rajagopal

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Anisotropy

finite element method

Guided electromagnetic wave propagation

Ultrasonic waves

Wave propagation

cortical bone

DETECTING CONDITIONS

GEOMETRIC CONDITIONS

Guided wave modes

Multi-layered

SEMI-ANALYTICAL FINITE ELEMENT

Tubular structures

ultrasonic guided wave

Bone

Fulltext

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IIT Madras

Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics

Numerical models based on the Semi Analytical Finite-Element method are used to study the characteristics of guided wave modes supported by bone-like multi-layered tubular structures. The method is first validated using previous literature and experimental studies on phantoms mimicking healthy and osteoporotic conditions of cortical bone, and later used to study a trilayer marrow–bone–tissue system at varying mechanical degradation levels. The results show that bone condition strongly affects the modal properties of axially propagating guided waves and indicates that L(0,3) and F(1,6) are suitable modes for assessing the mechanical condition of the bone. The work here reports suitable modal selection and their dispersion properties which would the aid in development of a transduction mechanism for mechanical assessment of bones. © 2017 The Author(s).

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Journal	Proceedings of Meetings on Acoustics
Publisher	Acoustical Society of America
ISSN	1939800X
Open Access	Yes