Vibrational analysis of bones
AssigneeThe Adelaide Bone and Joint Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorsChristopher M. J. Cain, Anthony P. Pohl
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for clinically recording and comparing the stiffness of a body element in-vivo. The body element, preferably a long bone (14) is excited by a vibratory device (15) and various vibrational resonant nodes are detected. Display or numerical analysis enables a comparison of the peak frequency response or a cross-correlation of the frequency versus amplitude response, thereby providing a measure of the state of stiffness of the body element compared with a normal or contralateral limb. The apparatus is simple to apply and use, ensuring effective use of method and apparatus in the clinical environment.
Claims21
A method for applying in-vivo a non-invasive vibrational motion to a selected fractured or diseased body element for determining the stiffness state of the selected body element, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) placing a vibration transducer means in firm mechanical contact with the selected element at an end region thereof for detecting vibratory energy,
- b) contacting a vibratory device against the selected element at a first location remote from said end region,
- c) driving the said vibratory device to vibrate over a frequency range between 20 to 2,000 Hertz at a predetermined rate of frequency change,
- d) using a computer device to store a first mode of vibratory response from the vibration transducer means,
- e) contacting the vibratory device against the selected element at a second location also remote from said end region,
- f) repeating steps c) and d) so as to store a second mode of vibratory response from said vibration transducer means, and
- g) producing a visual display for determining the difference between the peak frequency of each response mode and that of a corresponding reference mode representative of the stiffness of a normal body element to provide an indication of the stiffness state of the selected body element.
Apparatus for applying in-vivo a non-invasive vibrational motion to a selected fractured or diseased body element for determining the stiffness state of the selected body element, said apparatus comprising:
- a vibration transducer means arranged to be applied to the selected body element at an end region thereof having a signal output representing a response mode of vibration of the selected element having a peak frequency,
- a vibratory device adapted to be applied to the selected body element at a location remote from said end region of said selected body element,
- computer means comprising
- signal output means to drive the vibratory device to vibrate over a frequency range between 20 to 2,000 hertz at a predetermined rate of frequency change,
- storage means having stored therein a plurality of reference vibration transducer response modes having a peak frequency representative of the stiffness of a normal body element, and
- comparison means adapted to produce a visual display for determining the difference between the peak frequency of the vibration transducer response mode and that of a corresponding stored response mode to provide an indication of the stiffness state of the selected body element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.