Extremely sensitive ultrasound scanning system for non-invasive in vivo detection of minute mineralisation changes in human heel bones

A machine built for ultrasound velocity in vivo measurements in order to trace heel bone density changes with outstandingly high precision, even surpassing results one gets from first class radiological methods, is described. Due to the high precision, a special region of interest (ROI) with a very sharply defined sound axis which can be used as a reference against which to observe minute bone mineralization changes has been found. In vivo studies of sound velocities in the heels of normal persons demonstrate that reproducibilities of ±0.1% of equivalent heel bone densities should be possible