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Brief communication: Correlation between elastic modulus and radiographic density in mandibular cortical bone of colobine monkeys
Author(s) -
Rapoff Andrew J.,
Scott McGraw W.,
Duque Ana,
Daegling David J.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.23179
Subject(s) - grayscale , elastic modulus , cortical bone , modulus , radiography , correlation , materials science , mathematics , orthodontics , anatomy , medicine , computer science , composite material , image (mathematics) , artificial intelligence , geometry , radiology
Objectives The relationship between radiographic grayscale and elastic modulus was determined using mandibular cortical bone of colobine monkeys. Quantification of this relationship is critical for establishing absolute measures of structural rigidity of skeletal elements. Materials and methods We determined the Vickers microhardness values in mandibular bone from two species of African colobine monkeys and related these values to elastic modulus through an empirically determined correlation. We also determined radiographic grayscale values from microcomputed tomographic scans of the mandible in the same regions in which microhardness was sampled. We then correlated modulus to grayscale with a power law relationship. Results We found that elastic modulus scaled with negative allometry with respect to grayscale with an exponent of 0.77. Discussion Our results suggest a single exponent can effectively capture the relationship of grayscale to elastic modulus and facilitate development of heterogeneous structural models for use in comparative and computational biomechanical studies.