Patent Document ID: 9153021
Application ID: 14158261
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer-implemented method for analyzing a patient's body part of interest to assess bone strength and/or risk of future fracture, said method comprising: obtaining a priori information regarding the body part of interest, said a priori information comprising a three-dimensional (3D) generic model of a comparable body part; performing X-ray absorptiometric scans of the patient's body part of interest and collecting X-ray absorptiometry data from the X-ray absorptiometric scans, said data being derived using x-ray imaging detectors included in a computer-driven data acquisition system, said data representing a plurality of two-dimensional (2D) images of the patient's body part, each of said 2D images of the patient's body part being at a respective orientation of an imaging x-ray beam relative to the patient's body part; constructing a three-dimensional model of the patient's body part of interest, by utilizing the a priori information along with the X-ray absorptiometric data, said constructing comprising operating computerized equipment to carry out the steps of: (i) obtaining one or more two-dimensional (2D) projection views of the 3D generic model that correspond in orientation to one or more of the 2D images of the patient's body part, (ii)comparing each of the one or more 2D projection views of the generic model with a corresponding 2D image of the patient's body part to calculate a cost function, (iii) modifying the 3D model according to said cost function, and (iv) repeating steps (i) through (iii), each time using in step (i) the 3D model as modified in the previous iteration of step (iii), until a selected threshold has been reached; performing finite element analysis on the three-dimensional model of the patient's body part as modified through said constructing to provide parameters relating to bone strength of the patient's body part; and estimating force of a hypothetical fall by the patient; wherein said parameters relating to bone strength are considered in combination with one or more other parameters to estimate said force of the fall.