Using high-resolution, three-dimensional scanning technology, researchers Dr. Steven Boyd and Dr. David Hanley have discovered new information about bones.
“Digitally, we’ve cut bones in half to take a look inside,” said Boyd.
“It’s really the first time that we can see the interior structures of bones, and really analyze their micro-architecture.”
According to Boyd, everyone loses bone density. But the ways in which they lose bone density differ, especially between men and women.
“By looking at how bone micro-architecture varies between men and women and how it changes with age, it provides a basis for further understanding,” Boyd said.
“What we’ve found is women tend to lose bone by losing these interconnections in their micro-architecture, where men have a general thinning of their micro-architecture.”
He says interconnections within the bone are important in maintaining bone strength, and this new technology may help with treatments for osteoporosis in the future.
