Quantitative ultrasound in the assessment of skeletal status.

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a non-invasive technique for the investigation of bone tissue in several pathologies and clinical conditions, especially in the field of osteoporosis. The versatility of the technique, its low cost and lack of ionising radiation have led to the diffusion of this method worldwide. Several studies have been conducted in the last years to investigate the potential of QUS in multiple areas with promising results; the technique has been applied in the prediction of osteoporotic fractures, in monitoring therapies, in the investigation of secondary osteoporosis, in paediatrics, neonatology and genetics. Our review article gives an overview of the most relevant developments in the field of quantitative ultrasound, both in clinical and in experimental settings. Keywords: Quantitative ultrasound (QUS). Speed of sound (SoS). Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA). Amplitude-dependent speed of sound (AD-SoS). Stiffness. Quantitative ultrasound index (QUI). Bone quality . Osteoporosis