NON-INVASIVE BONE STRENGTH MEASUREMENT BY A NOVEL APPROACH: MECHANICAL RESPONSE TISSUE ANALYZER (MRTA)

BONE WEAKENING IS A CONCERN FOR ASTRONAUTS, WHO NOW EXERCISEIN FLIGHT TO PREVENT LOSS OF BONE IN THE LEGS AND FRACTURE ON LANDING. USING INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGY, THIS PROJECT WILL DESIGN AN INSTRUMENT THAT PROVIDES DIRECT, NON-INVASIVE, ACCURATE, AND REPRODUCIBLE MEASUREMENTS OF BONE STIFFNESS, A COMPONENT OF BONE STRENGTH. THE LONG BONES OF THE LOWER EXTREMITIES OF HUMANS AND LARGER SPECIES OF ANIMALS QUALIFYING FOR FLIGHT PROJECTS ARE THE TARGETS OF ANALYSIS BY THIS INSTRUMENT, WHICH DELIVERS A LOW-FREQUENCY VIBRATION AND DETECTS THE RESPONSE. CURRENT METHODS FOR EVALUATING THE STRENGTH OF BONE IN VIVO DEPEND PRIMARILY ON MEASURES OF THE MINERAL CONTENT OF BONE BY INSTRUMENTS THAT CONTAIN A RADIOACTIVE SOURCE. A DEVICE THAT MONITORS THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON BONE STRENGTH, AND AVOIDS EXPOSURE TO RADIATION, IS NEEDED FOR SPACE FLIGHT. IT WOULD ALSO HAVE APPLICATION IN MONITORING PATIENTS WITH FRAGILE BONES, OR INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN SPORTS OR FITNESS PROGRAMS. THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE I IS TO DESIGN THE MECHANICAL COMPONENTS AND DATA-ACQUISITION SYSTEM INTO A SINGLE, SIMPLE SYSTEM FOR OPERATION AND USE IN CLINICAL AND ANIMAL STUDIES. THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE II WOULD BE TO VALIDATE THE INSTRUMENT BY ANIMAL AND HUMAN TESTS, AND CORRELATE WITH OTHER TESTS. BONE WEAKENING IS A CONCERN FOR ASTRONAUTS, WHO NOW EXERCISEIN FLIGHT TO PREVENT LOSS OF BONE IN THE LEGS AND FRACTURE ON LANDING. USING INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGY, THIS PROJECT WILL DESIGN AN INSTRUMENT THAT PROVIDES DIRECT, NON-INVASIVE, ACCURATE, AND REPRODUCIBLE MEASUREMENTS OF BONE STIFFNESS, A COMPONENT OF BONE STRENGTH. THE LONG BONES OF THE LOWER EXTREMITIES OF HUMANS AND LARGER SPECIES OF ANIMALS QUALIFYING FOR FLIGHT PROJECTS ARE THE TARGETS OF ANALYSIS BY THIS INSTRUMENT, WHICH DELIVERS A LOW-FREQUENCY VIBRATION AND DETECTS THE RESPONSE. CURRENT METHODS FOR EVALUATING THE STRENGTH OF BONE IN VIVO DEPEND PRIMARILY ON MEASURES OF THE MINERAL CONTENT OF BONE BY INSTRUMENTS THAT CONTAIN A RADIOACTIVE SOURCE. A DEVICE THAT MONITORS THE EFFECTS OF EXERCISE ON BONE STRENGTH, AND AVOIDS EXPOSURE TO RADIATION, IS NEEDED FOR SPACE FLIGHT. IT WOULD ALSO HAVE APPLICATION IN MONITORING PATIENTS WITH FRAGILE BONES, OR INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN SPORTS OR FITNESS PROGRAMS. THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE I IS TO DESIGN THE MECHANICAL COMPONENTS AND DATA-ACQUISITION SYSTEM INTO A SINGLE, SIMPLE SYSTEM FOR OPERATION AND USE IN CLINICAL AND ANIMAL STUDIES. THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE II WOULD BE TO VALIDATE THE INSTRUMENT BY ANIMAL AND HUMAN TESTS, AND CORRELATE WITH OTHER TESTS.