Using point clouds to investigate the relationship between trabecular bone phenotype and behavior: An example utilizing the human calcaneus.

We conclude that comparing site-specific, localized differences in trabecular bone variables such as bone volume fraction and degree of anisotropy in three-dimensions is a powerful analytical tool. This method makes it possible to determine where similarities and differences between groups are located within the whole skeletal element of interest. The visualization of multiple variables also provides a way for researchers to see how the trabecular bone variables interact within the morphology, and allows for a more nuanced understanding of how they relate to one another and the broader mechanical environment.