Skeletal Circulation in Clinical Practice

The importance of bone circulation in our understanding of many major orthopedic conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, trauma, and tumors cannot be underestimated. Yet, circulatory physiology, basic to all healthy organs and most diseases, has been difficult to study in the skeleton. The biological regulation of blood flow is complex and the tissues have been relatively inaccessible to measurement. In recent years, however, advances have been made in understanding circulatory physiology and fluid flow in bone, functional measurement of blood flow, and the roles of circulation in bone turnover and repair. These advances have enhanced our insights into bone homeostasis and the interrelationships of circulation and skeletal biology, including repair and disease. This seminal volume is the first to present updated information on circulatory physiology of bone and fluid flow through the bone matrix. It then moves on to describe new techniques in quantifying and imaging bone circulation. A bonus section covering circulatory elements of skeleton diseases will provide invaluable insight into pathophysiology and may serve as diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets.