Osteoporosis is a frequently occurring disease in the western world. More than 75 million people are at risk of developing osteoporosis in Europe, Japan and USA. It is a disease of the skeleton in which the amount of calcium present in the bones slowly decreases to the point where the bones become brittle and prone to fracture. At the same time the structure of the bones change in a way that influences ultrasonic wave propagation. In particular, this study will be devoted to non-linear effects such as generation of higher harmonics of the excited ultrasound and possible connection to the state of osteoporosis. It is the hope that this investigation will lead to an early and precise diagnosis which in turn will increase the success rate of treatment offered.
