A Postprocessing Dual Energy Technique for Vertebral CT Densitometry

The influence of the fat content in the cancellous bone on CT densitometry was measured on the excised vertebrae from 42 elderly human subjects. Using single energy CT, the decrease of the measured mineral content was 12% for a fat content of 10% by volume at a mean mineral content of 100-110 mg/cm3. Using a dual calibration at 85 and 130 kVp with reference to K2HPO4 for mineral and to alcohol for fat, our experiment showed that the mineral content of the vertebra can be measured with an accuracy of 6% referred to the ash-weight.