Estimating the strength of bone using linear response.

Accurate diagnostic tools are required for effective management of osteoporosis; one method to identify additional diagnostics is to search for observable consequences of bone loss. An analysis of a model system is used to show that weakening of a bone is accompanied by a reduction of the fraction of the bone that participates in load transmission. On the basis of this observation, it is argued that the ratio Gamma of linear responses of a network to dc and high-frequency ac driving can be used as a surrogate for their strength. Protocols needed to obtain Gamma for bone samples are discussed.