MRI-based porosity index and suppression ratio in the tibial cortex: significant differences in normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic subjects

The porosity index (PI) and the suppression ratio (SR) are two rapid MRI-based techniques developed using ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences to evaluate the cortical bone microstructure. We have investigated the performance of PI and SR in detecting tibial bone quality differences between osteoporosis (OPo) patients, osteopenia (OPe) patients, and healthy volunteers with normal bone (Normal). We also investigated the correlations of PI and SR with DEXA T-score performed at the hip in patients. PI and SR were significantly higher in the OPo group compared with the Normal and OPe groups. DEXA T-score was significantly correlated with PI and SR.