[Automatic determination for bone morphometry using a computed image analyzer].

Abstract

An image analyzer which combines a digitizer and a computer is widely employed in bone histomorphometrical evaluation. With this method, however, all regions of determination are traced manually so that considerable time is consumed when many preparations are measured. To resolve this problem, we have developed an automatic program for rapid and quantitative measurement of many bone histomorphometrical parameters using a computed color image analyzer. The bone volume (BV), tissue volume (TV), osteoid surface (OS), and the bone surface (BS) of rat tibia metaphysis were measured by this automatic method, and by the manual method using an image analyzer. The correlation coefficient between both methods in measuring BV/TV was 0.98 and in measuring OS/BS was 0.96. The reproducibility and accuracy of both methods for these parameters were similar. The time required for the automatic method was much shorter than that for the manual method. Various parameters of the tibial metaphysis, lumbar vertebral body, and femoral mid-diaphysis in ovariectomized rat (Fischer) measured by this method were in good agreement with values reported previously.