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A study of intracortical porosity’s area fractions and aspect ratios using computer vision and pulse-coupled neural networks

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Abstract

Employing computer vision (CV) and optimized pulse-coupled neural networks (PCNN), this work automatically quantifies the geometrical attributes of intracortical bone porosity (namely lacunae and canaliculi (L-C), Haversian canals, and resorption cavities). Fifty pathological slides of cortical bone (× 20 magnification) were prepared from middiaphysis of bovine forelegs collected fresh from butcher. Biopsies were subdivided into sectors encircling arcs (θ of 10°) and radial distances (R) originating from the bone’s geometric center toward posterior regions and spanning 3.3 mm. Microscopically, each pore is classified according to whether it belonged to primary or secondary osteon. Globally, each pore is assigned as being located in anterior or posterior regions. For each pore, area and major/minor axes lengths were determined as raw measures from which derived geometric measures, namely, area fraction (AF) and aspect ratio (AR), were derived. Said measures were plotted versus R (for different angles). Plots of AF and AR trends were found to vary linearly along the radial distance. Area fractions (%) significantly decreased linearly with R (p < 0.01) in the anterior region. In the posterior region, area fraction values are flat versus R. These findings are indicative of maturing osteons at the outer cortex with predominately near circular-shaped pores.

(Left) Grids of slides (magnified at 20X) of intra-cortical bone showing Lacunar-canalicular porosity (LCP). Areas marked with the dotted square represent a group of 25 images. The dashed line is a hand-drawn line that demarcates the anterior and posterior regions and the solid line is the best-fit arc radii (R =16.4 mm) of the dashed demarcation line. (Right) Images rotated in the polar coordinate system with their respective angles and radii shown.

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Abbreviations

%so:

% area of secondary osteons in image

%po :

% area of primary osteons in image

A so :

Area of secondary osteons in image

A po :

Area of primary osteons in image

A rc :

Area of resorption cavity(ies) in image

\( S\left({A}_{so}^l\right) \) :

Summed areas of lacunae in secondary osteons in image

\( S\left({A}_{po}^l\right) \) :

Summed areas of lacunae in primary osteons in image

\( S\left({A}_{so}^c\right) \) :

Summed areas of canaliculi clusters in secondary osteons in image

\( S\left({A}_{po}^c\right) \) :

Summed areas of canaliculi clusters in primary osteons in image

\( S\left({A}_{so}^{hc}\right) \) :

Summed areas of Haversian canals in secondary osteons in image

\( {AF}_{so}^l \) :

Area fraction (%) of lacunae in secondary osteons in image

\( {AF}_{po}^l \) :

Area fraction (%) of lacunae in primary osteons in image

\( {AF}_{so}^c \) :

Area fraction (%) of canaliculi clusters in secondary osteons in image

\( {AF}_{po}^c \) :

Area fraction (%) of canaliculi clusters in primary osteons in image

\( {AF}_{so}^{hc} \) :

Area fraction (%) of Haversian canals in secondary osteons in image

AF rc :

Area fraction (%) of resorption cavity(ies) in image

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Acknowledgments

This publication was made possible by Award #103087 from the Lebanese NCSR. The authors also acknowledge the support of the university research board (URB) at the American University of Beirut.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Notre Dame University- Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh, P.O. Box: 72, Zouk Mikael, Lebanon

    Ilige S. Hage

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Beirut, Riad El-Solh, Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon

    R. F. Hamade

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  1. Ilige S. Hage
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Correspondence to R. F. Hamade.

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Hage, I.S., Hamade, R.F. A study of intracortical porosity’s area fractions and aspect ratios using computer vision and pulse-coupled neural networks. Med Biol Eng Comput 57, 577–588 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-018-1900-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-018-1900-6

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