Fractal lacunarity of trabecular bone and magnetic resonance imaging: New perspectives for osteoporotic fracture risk assessment

Figure 4 Effect of sample size on trabecular bone architecture changes with aging and osteoporosis. Results are expressed as parameter β calculated from lacunarity texture analysis with gray-scale version 2 of the method. Larger sample size (B) of 59 subjects comprises the smaller one (A). Black circles represent TBA lacunarity in non-osteoporotic subjects of different age. Gray circles represent TBA in osteoporosis (BMD-based diagnosis). Decreasing values of parameter β correspond to increasing lacunarity related to a higher microarchitecture deterioration. Overlapping of data from osteoporotic and “healthy” subjects (BMD-based diagnosis) stresses that TBA represents a determinant of bone fragility independent on BMD. TBA: Trabecular bone architecture; BMD: Bone mineral density.