Go
to File, Open Samples and open the image Bone1.
The first four Lumbar vertebra (L1 through L4) are outlined in this view
of the two patients. To give you a point of reference, immediately above
L1 you can make out the last thoracic vertebra with the ribs coming off
the vertebra.
Density
Slicing
Follow the instructions on Density Slicing. When you have the lumbar bones
selected in red the image should look
like the left hand example shown above.
Go
to Analyze, Set Measurements and check the Mean Gray Value
and Limit to Threshold boxes.
Under
Image,
Adjust and Threshold. You will see two slide bars. Adjust the top
( 115) and bottom slide bars (All the way to the right) so that the area
you want to measure is in RED.(What you
have done is to select everything with that pixel density out of 256.)
Select
the Wand 
Tool and click
on vertebra L1, Patient 1. You will see a yellow line surrounding all
the red. (Like the right hadn example shown above) Now do Analyze,
Measure. The Mean Gray Value (Density) of everything that you have
selected in RED has been measured in pixels.
Continue to measure all the lumbar vertebrae of both patients.
Reference
The follow
are WEB reference sites for information on
Osteoporosis
The International
Osteoporosis Foundation Up to date information on osteoporosis including
research and songs.
National
Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Primary
NIH organization for research.
Osteoporosis
Center - A patients source for information on Osteoporosis.
Results
(You can also Go to File,
Open Samples and Open the image Results which
is a copy of this Results section. While this page cannot be printed out
- at this time - it can be saved as a JPEG file to your desktop. You can
then open it with any graphics program,type out the answers and then print
it out from your program.
You can also enter the results
on this image using the Text 
Tool. To do this first go to Edit, Options, Fonts and select something
like Geneva - 12 pt - Bold. Then click on the Results Image
in the answer space and draw out the yellow rectangle that appears and start
typing. When you are finished go to Edit and Select
Draw. What you have typed should now be present.)
Table
1:
Student
results can also be transferred to a Graphing Program
Compare the
two X-Rays.
Based on your
bone density results which person do you think is suffering from osteoporosis?
Density of skeletal bone is directly related to the strength and overall health of this supporting tissue in the body. Loss of density due to the reabsorption and excretion of calcium phosphate by the blood stream leads to a condition termed osteoporosis. This causes the bone to be more susceptible to fractures and less able to heal in cases of bone injury. Osteoporosis is a condition that can occur to astronauts in weightless conditions and is generally compensated for by significantly increasing the calcium content in their diets. You will be looking at X-Rays from the Lumbar region of two patients.
