A new method for determining cross-sectional shape and area of soft tissues.
Assessment of the mechanical properties of soft tissues requires accurate measurement of the cross-sectional area. To date, techniques for determining cross-sectional areas of ligaments and tendons have been less than ideal due to the tissues' complex geometries and the fact that they deform easily under an applied external load. A new procedure has been developed for determining the cross-sectional area by means of an image reconstruction technique based on measurements from collimated laser beams. Using this procedure, the actual shape of the specimen cross-section can also be determined. The results are demonstrated to be highly accurate, and this methodology does not require mechanical contact with the specimen.
Lee
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TQ
STAMP Program, Long Beach Veterans Administration, Medical Center, Calif 92668.
Woo
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D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D008022:Ligaments / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D013552:Swine; D013686:Telemetry; D013710:Tendons / Q000033:anatomy & histology