| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/M37806/01 |
| Title: |
DEVELOPMENT OF A VALIDATED SYSTEM FOR THE ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS OF OSTEOPOROSIS |
| Principal Investigator: |
Leighton, Professor T |
| Other Investigators: |
|
| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
|
| Project Partners: |
|
| Department: |
Inst of Sound and Vibration Research |
| Organisation: |
University of Southampton |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 January 1999 |
Ends: |
30 June 2002 |
Value (£): |
146,084
|
| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Instrumentation Eng. & Dev. |
|
|
| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
|
|
| Related Grants: |
|
| Panel History: |
|
|
Summary on Grant Application Form |
|
Osteoporosis is a bone-wasting disease that affects 6% of men and 24% of women over 50, contributing to causing over 60,000 hip fractures in Britain annually. Early diagnosis is essential for treatment to prevent fracture, and the currently preferred diagnostic techniques are radiological. Ultrasound is a promising complementary and cost-effective technology, but the effectiveness of current systems needs to be improved, since their scientific basis is weak. Recently, significant advances were made by this team in understanding how ultrasound travels in porous bone and in modelling its anisotropic response. This project aims to further theoretical understanding of ultrasound in bone. From subsequent predictions of changes in ultrasonic speed with the onset of the disease (with consideration of spatial averaging at transducers and the effect of cortical bone), a system will be designed of measuring speed of sound through the heel bone in various directions. Tests in vitro, then in vivo (50 subjects) will determine if changes in speed can be used as an index of bone condition. This research could potentially lead to economic bone assessment which could be widely available for screening programmes. An exploitation plan with an SME will be explored.
|
|
Key Findings |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Potential use in non-academic contexts |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
|
Impacts |
|
| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
|
| Date Materialised |
|
|
|
|
Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
|
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
|
| Project URL: |
|
| Further Information: |
|
| Organisation Website: |
http://www.soton.ac.uk |