# Non-Invasive Determination of Bone Quality Markers by Monte Carlo Modeling and Optical Spectroscopy

> **NIH NIH R21** · TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH · 2022 · $204,618

## Abstract

Summary:
Diseases of bone fragility such as osteoporosis require bone quality monitoring, typically done by dual X-
ray absorptiometry (DXA) assessment of bone mineral density (BMD). Bone health index (BHI) and
metacarpal index (MCI) are other measures of bone quality based on radiographic geometric assessment of the
metacarpal bones obtained from a planar hand X-ray. These approaches all use ionizing radiation, which is of
concern in some populations, and may not be easily accessed in low-resource communities. Nevertheless, X-
ray data from the metacarpal bones have been shown to be a significant predictor of fracture risk at the vertebrae
and hip, and to correlate with DXA-determined BMD. Here, we propose development of an alternative approach
for metacarpal assessment for bone health, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with a fiber optic
probe. This is a non-invasive modality based on low energy non-ionizing radiation that can also yield
molecular information related to the quality of material or tissue being evaluated. In the current proposal,
NIR spectroscopic analysis of bone quality will be optimized in a multi-step approach. Specific optical properties
of metacarpal bones and the overlying tissues will be obtained, and then used as input into Monte Carlo modeling
of photon penetration through skin and bone. These data will then be used to inform and optimize the design of
NIR fiber optic probes such that the spectral data collected preferentially comes from bone, as opposed to
overlying tissues. Advancing NIR spectroscopy for clinical assessment of bone quality will require the careful
development of application-specific probes and techniques for spectral analysis uniquely tailored for
measurement of the metacarpal bone. Development of this modality could eventually lead to the development
of straight-forward, cost effective approaches for community screening of bone health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10391689
- **Project number:** 1R21AR080517-01
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPLE UNIV OF THE COMMONWEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Chetan A Patil
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $204,618
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10391689

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10391689, Non-Invasive Determination of Bone Quality Markers by Monte Carlo Modeling and Optical Spectroscopy (1R21AR080517-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10391689. Licensed CC0.

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