Characterization of Baboon Cortical Bone Microstructural Changes by Low Field NMR and Correlation of Bone Mechanical Properties

A NMR spin-spin (T2) relaxation technique has been described for determining the porosity, mobile and the bound water distribution in baboon cortical bone and correlate to their mechanical properties. The technique of low-field proton NMR involves spin-spin relaxation and free induction decay (FID) measurements, and the computational inversion methods for decay data analysis. The advantages of using NMR T2 relaxation techniques for bone water distribution are illustrated. The CPMG T2 relaxation data can be inverted to T2 relaxation distribution and this distribution then can be transformed to a pore size distribution with the longer relaxation times corresponding to larger pores. The FID T2 relaxation data can be inverted to T2 relaxation distribution and this distribution then can be transformed to bound and mobile water distribution with the longest relaxation time corresponding to mobile water and the middle relaxation time corresponding to bound water. The technique is applied to quantify apparent changes in porosity, bound and mobile water in cortical bone. Overall bone porosity is determined using the calibrated NMR fluid volume from the proton relaxation data divided by overall bone volume. The NMR porosity, bound and mobile water components are determined from cortical bone specimens obtained from baboon donors of different ages, and the results are correlated to bone mechanical properties.