High-resolution X-ray scattering tensor tomography study of the age-related structural changes in the human femoral neck cortex - Continuati

This proposal is submitted in continuation of our previous experiment at ESRF (SC5408, ID13, July 2023) in the aim of completing the dataset. The experiment is part of a larger investigation on osteoporotic bone strength, where a deeper understanding of the microstructural changes in bone tissue as a function of age is still missing. In the context of a series of multi-scale structural, mechanical and numerical studies, we aim to acquire high-resolution small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering tensor tomography measurements of the human femoral cortex at a sub-lamellar level. This continuation experiment will complete the dataset allowing us to investigate structure-property relations at the micro-scale, which will contribute to the development of a non-linear homogenized finite element model of the proximal femur, with the aim of improving the assessment of hip strength and fracture predictions in the ageing human hip.