Ultrasonic Measurement of Bone and Bone Marrow Thicknesses in Femur Covered wich Flesh by Inserting a Hip Prosthesis Stem.

Abstract

The thicknesses of bone and bone marrow in a pig femur covered with flesh by inserting a hip prosthesis stem are investigated nondestructively by means of an ultrasonic pulse echo method. An ultrasonic wave is emitted toward the hip prosthesis stem via a normal probe attached to the flesh, and the distances from the normal probe to the boundary surfaces of bone and hip prosthesis stem are measured by observing the time intervals between each echo. Subsequently the actual thicknesses of flesh, bone and bone marrow are measured using vernier calipers. The results of the ultrasonic wave and vernier calipers measurements are graphically presented and compared. It is clarified that the ultrasonic method is useful for practical applications on the proposed problem.