A Network Modeling Approach for the Spatial Distribution and Structure of Bone Mineral Content

作者：Li Hui; Zhang Aidong; Bone Lawrence; Buyea Cathy; Ramanathan Murali^*

来源：AAPS Journal, 2014, 16(3): 478-487.

DOI：10.1208/s12248-014-9585-8

• bone
• imaging
• modeling
• osteoporosis

This study aims to develop a spatial model of bone for quantitative assessments of bone mineral density and microarchitecture. A spatially structured network model for bone microarchitecture was systematically investigated. Bone mineral-forming foci were distributed radially according to the cumulative normal distribution, and Voronoi tessellation was used to obtain edges representing bone mineral lattice. Methods to simulate X-ray images were developed. The network model recapitulated key features of real bone and contained spongy interior regions resembling trabecular bone that transitioned seamlessly to densely mineralized, compact cortical bone-like microarchitecture. Model-simulated imaging profiles were similar to patients' X-ray images. The morphometric metrics were concordant with microcomputed tomography results for real bone. Simulations comparing normal and diseased bone of 20-30 to 70-80 year-olds demonstrated the method's effectiveness for modeling osteoporosis. The novel spatial model may be useful for pharmacodynamic simulations of bone drugs and for modeling imaging data in clinical trials.

• 出版日期2014-5