The Orientation Distribution of Apatite Crystals Accounts for Variability in the Elastic Anisotropy of Human Cortical Bone Tissue

Elastic constants for cortical bone tissue have been correlated with the apparent tissue density, mineral density, and tissue porosity [1–4], but the little data that exists has indicated a weak or no relationship between these structural parameters and the elastic anisotropy [4,5]. A micromechanical model accounting for seven structural parameters across multiple length scales identified the bone mineral orientation distribution to be the most significant structural parameter governing the elastic anisotropy of cortical bone [6].