The Protocol of Ultrasonic Backscatter Measurements of Musculoskeletal Properties

Dongsheng Bi; Lingwei Shi; Boyi Li; Ying Li; Chengcheng Liu; Lawrence H Le; Jingchun Luo; Sijia Wang; Dean Ta

doi:10.1007/s43657-023-00122-0

The Protocol of Ultrasonic Backscatter Measurements of Musculoskeletal Properties

Phenomics. 2023 Sep 27;4(1):72-80. doi: 10.1007/s43657-023-00122-0. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Authors

Dongsheng Bi¹, Lingwei Shi¹, Boyi Li², Ying Li¹, Chengcheng Liu², Lawrence H Le³, Jingchun Luo⁴, Sijia Wang⁵, Dean Ta^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200438 China.
² Academy for Engineering and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 China.
³ Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G2B7 Canada.
⁴ Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203 China.
⁵ Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031 China.

PMID: 38605911
PMCID: PMC11004104 (available on 2025-02-01)
DOI: 10.1007/s43657-023-00122-0

Abstract

This study aims to introduce the protocol for ultrasonic backscatter measurements of musculoskeletal properties based on a novel ultrasonic backscatter bone diagnostic (UBBD) instrument. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can be adopted to measure bone mineral density (BMD) in the hip, spine, legs and the whole body. The muscle and fat mass in the legs and the whole body can be also calculated by DXA body composition analysis. Based on the proposed protocol for backscatter measurements by UBBD, ultrasonic backscatter signals can be measured in vivo, deriving three backscatter parameters [apparent integral backscatter (AIB), backscatter signal peak amplitude (BSP_A) and the corresponding arrival time (BSP_T)]. AIB may provide important diagnostic information about bone properties. BSP_A and BSP_T may be important indicators of muscle and fat properties. The standardized backscatter measurement protocol of the UBBD instrument may have the potential to evaluate musculoskeletal characteristics, providing help for promoting the application of the backscatter technique in the clinical diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as osteoporosis and muscular atrophy.

Keywords: Bone mineral density; Fat mass; Muscle mass; Musculoskeletal disorders; Ultrasonic backscatter.

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