The effects of fracture and fracture repair on the vibrational characteristics of an excised rat femur

Mechanical properties of bone, such as density, structural characteristics, and elastic parameters, are related to its biological state. Such properties may be studied by the vibration method. In this method, a vibrating force is applied to the bone and the resulting response is recorded and used to evaluate bone properties. The vibration is often induced by mechanical means. Here, we present a vibration method based on the radiation force of ultrasound. Our proposed method is remote and noninvasive. We use this method to monitor changes in bone structure introduced by a partial fracture. The experiments demonstrate that the resonance frequency is indicative of bone fracture and healing, and the radiation force method can be used as a remote and noninvasive tool for monitoring bone fracture and healing.