| The purpose of this study was to take the initial steps towards applying Noncontact Ultrasound (NCU) to the in vivo monitoring of osteoporosis and to skeletal quantitative ultrasound imaging (QUS) using cortical bone phantoms. This project sought additional applications of NCU beyond its past limited usage in assessing third-degree burns. With this noncontact ultrasound imaging system, noncontact transducers and cortical bone phantoms with known bone mineral density (BMD) were used to determine speed of sound (SOS), integrated acoustical response (IR), and ultrasonic transmittance. Air gaps greater than 3 cm, two transmission and two reflection paths, and a digital signal processor were used to collect data. Significant correlations between BMD and measured SOS, IR, and transmittance were obtained. These NCU results were shown to be in agreement with results from contact ultrasound within 1-2%, which suggests that NCU might find additional applications in a clinical setting in the future in medical imaging. |
