Method and apparatus for the evaluation of structural width and density by computed tomography

An apparatus for measuring the density of a structure comprising:

• a computed tomography scanner;
• and
• a digital controller in communication with said computed tomography scanner, said digital controller being programmed to
• establish at least one radial density profile of said structure based upon X-ray image data obtained by said computed tomography scanner;
• identify a peak density value D.sub.1 along said density profile;
• identify a structural width w.sub.1 of said structure;
• interpolate a first curve of density versus width from a point defined by coordinates w.sub.1 and D.sub.1 ;
• and
• identify a maximum density value of said first curve to establish a structural density value D.sub.2.

A method of measuring the width of a structure comprising the steps of:

• obtaining X-ray image data of a structure with a computed tomography scanner;
• establishing a radial density profile of said structure from the obtained X-ray image data;
• calculating a first threshold value and a second threshold value;
• identifying a first radial position corresponding to a point on said radial density profile where said radial density profile rises above said first threshold value;
• identifying a second radial position corresponding to a point on said radial profile where said radial density profile falls below said second threshold value;
• measuring a difference between said first radial position and said second radial position;
• and
• determining the width of the structure as a function of said measured difference.