# Novel technique to detect microcracks in the progression of Osteoporosis

> **NIH NIH P20** · BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $162,751

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY -- KANDADAI
Osteoporosis is a major problem with a high impact on human life, affecting over 48 million
people in the United States. Normally, healthy bone constantly undergoes remodeling, which
helps heal minor micro-fractures caused by day-to-day activity and keeps bones strong.
Osteoporosis affects remodeling, increasing the probability of fracture. One of the common
treatments for osteoporosis is bisphosphonates. However, while it has been shown to improve
osteoporosis, long-term bisphosphonate treatment creates the risk of generating micro-cracks
and increases the chance of hip fractures. Both the disease and treatment cause a change in
the porosity of the bone, and currently, there are no viable techniques that accurately measure
changes in the bone porosity. Currently, two techniques are used to study the deterioration of
bone, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT). Both techniques
suffer from low resolution making micro-cracks in the bone difficult to detect. In addition, MRI
and CT are not readily amenable to measuring the effects of day-to-day activity, load-bearing,
and age on bone porosity, which would be needed to create a preventative treatment plan. In
our proposed project we are investigating a novel visible-light imaging technique to study and
differentiate a variety of bone porosity and micro-cracks. In our project, we will use a technique
known as modulated photothermal radiometry (MPTR) that measures the porosity-dependent
thermal conductivity of materials, such as bone. MPTR has two potential advantages over MRI
and CT: 1) it uses visible light to study the deterioration of bone without harmful radiation, and 2)
it is easier to implement in vivo with higher resolution. The work will have wide-reaching
significance, both in the laboratory and in real life. Quantification of bone porosity and micro-
cracks will improve the understanding of the effects of bone remodeling, a major issue in
osteoporosis and other repetitive bone injuries.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10557618
- **Project number:** 1P20GM148321-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Nirmala Kandadai
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $162,751
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-04-06 → 2028-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10557618

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10557618, Novel technique to detect microcracks in the progression of Osteoporosis (1P20GM148321-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10557618. Licensed CC0.

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