Ultrasound Velocity in Bone Under Disrupted Blood Supply

The reported ultrasonic velocity measurements have been performed using a device in which the transmitter and the detector of sound vibrations are rigidly mounted at a constant distance from each other to avoid statistical errors at measuring the distance travelled by acoustic waves. The accuracy of measurements was thus dependent only on the resolution of the device determined by the frequency of time reference signals, its stability, the travelled distance, and the sound velocity.

The velocities measured in six objects exhibit a common behaviour with time, reaching a maximum between the 9-th and 33-rd hour after complete disruption in the blood supply and remaining higher compared with the initial value at least for 80 h after disruption. The obtained values of sound velocity are consistent with the results found by other authors, while the rise after disruption in the blood supply - with the increase in elasticity of the bone tissue.