Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic method and apparatus is provided wherein an ultrasonic wave is transmitted through a patient to contact the human bone and the corresponding diagnostic waveform is then compared with a standard prestored waveform of a comparable healthy bone. The patient's bone is then judged to determine the osteoporosis condition of the patient.

Abstract: A highly reliable apparatus and method of measuring bone mineral density and bone strength simultaneously is provided. Pleochromatic X-rays emitted from an X-ray tube are incident upon an object to be measured. Transmitted X-rays and diffracted X-rays, generated during the time period when the X-rays are passed through the object, are separately detected to simultaneously measure the bone mineral density and the bone strength.

Abstract: A non-dispersive fluorescence x-ray analyzer apparatus and method for measuring the concentration of an element contained in a sample. The apparatus has an x-ray source which directs x-rays against a sample to be analyzed and a reference sample which are both at equal distances from the x-ray source. The fluorescence x-ray spectrum from both the sample to be analyzed and the reference sample is detected and converted into a series of pulse signals. Counters count the signals from both samples, and the counter for counting the pulse signals from the reference sample is set to terminate the operation of the counter for counting the signals from the sample when a pre-determined number of pulses is counted from the reference sample. The number of pulses from the sample to be analyzed is then used for performing a mathematical computation to determine the concentration of the element in the sample being analyzed, which concentration is proportional to the number of pulses counted.