Repeatability And Correlation Of The Warm-air And Solid Coupled Mode Ultrasound Bone Strength Device

ObjectivesTo evaluate the repeatability and efficiency of warm-air and solid coupledmode ultrasound bone strength device made in China.MethodsEleven and eighteen volunteers’ right calcaneus ultrasound parameters, speed of sound(SOS) and broadband ultrasound attenuation(BUA), were detected with the device,percentages root-mean square of coefficient of variation (CVRMS%) of ultrasoundparameters were calculated respectively, and used to assess the short-and middle-termrepeatability of the device;29volunteers’ right calcaneus ultrasoundparameters(SOS,BUA) were detected with the device and bone mineral density(BMD)of lumbar spine were detected with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), Thevalues of correlation coefficient were used to assess the efficiency of the device.Results①The short-term coefficient variation values expressed as root-mean squarecoefficient of variation were4.24%for broadband ultrasound attenuation,0.30%forspeed of sound; middle-term coefficient variation values expressed as root-meansquare coefficient of variation were4.20%for broadband ultrasound attenuation,0.41%for speed of sound.②The correlations between lumbar spine bone mineraldensity and the ultrasonic parameters were0.629(P<0.01) for broadband ultrasound attenuation and0.486(P<0.01) for speed of sound.ConclusionCompared to International top-grade quantitative ultrasound (QUS) testing device, thewarm-air and solid Coupled ultrasound bone strength device has the high performanceof reproducibility and accuracy, so it can be used to assessing bone status.