Characterization of multi-biomarkers for bone health assessment based on photoacoustic physicochemical analysis method

Photoacoustics, 2022 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pacs.2021.100320 · Published: December 14, 2021

Medical Imaging Musculoskeletal Medicine

Simple Explanation

Photoacoustic (PA) techniques offer a potential alternative to traditional histopathology for assessing bone health. By measuring PA signals at multiple wavelengths, a physicochemical spectrogram (PCS) can be generated, revealing information about bone morphology and chemical composition simultaneously. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using PCSs for bone health assessment through comprehensive analysis, termed PA physicochemical analysis (PAPCA), which quantifies parameters like 'slope' and 'relative content' to characterize bone tissue properties.

Study Duration

20 weeks

Participants

20 female New Zealand white rabbits

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
PAPCA can effectively characterize both the microstructure and content of multi-biomarkers highly related to bone health.
2
The 'slope' and 'relative content' parameters derived from PCSs correlate well with gold-standard imaging results, indicating their potential for bone health assessment.
3
The PA technique, being noninvasive and radiation-free, holds great potential for implementing and monitoring bone disease progression.

Research Summary

This study investigates the feasibility of using photoacoustic physicochemical spectrograms (PCSs) for bone health assessment, focusing on variations in bone mineral density (BMD), bone microarchitecture (BMA), and chemical composition. The quantified PA physicochemical analysis (PAPCA) parameters, including 'slope' and 'relative content,' are compared with gold-standard DEXA, micro-CT, and MRI images, demonstrating their correlation with BMD, BMA, and lipid ratio in bone tissue. The study concludes that PAPCA is a promising technique for characterizing bone pathology, offering a non-invasive and radiation-free alternative with the potential for clinical applications in monitoring bone disease progression.

Practical Implications

Non-invasive Bone Assessment

The PA technique offers a non-invasive and radiation-free approach for bone health assessment, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods like X-rays.

Comprehensive Bone Characterization

PAPCA can simultaneously assess bone microstructure and chemical composition, providing a more complete picture of bone health compared to methods that focus solely on BMD or BMA.

Clinical Monitoring of Bone Diseases

The PA technique has potential for clinical applications in monitoring the progression of bone diseases like osteoporosis, enabling earlier and more effective interventions.

Study Limitations

1
The bone tissue was scanned ex vivo, which prevented individual observation of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin, suggesting a need for future in vivo studies.
2
The relatively low optical absorption of hydroxyapatite compared to blood resulted in reduced mineral contrast, necessitating improvements in decomposition algorithms.
3
The study did not fully consider the effects of light and ultrasonic attenuation in overlying soft tissue for in vivo applications, highlighting an area for further investigation.

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