title: Classification of rheumatoid joint inflammation based on laser imaging.
abstract: We describe a classification system for a novel imaging method for arthritic finger joints. The basis of this system is a laser imaging technique which is sensitive to the optical characteristics of finger joint tissue. From the laser images acquired at baseline and follow-up, finger joints can automatically be classified according to whether the inflammatory status has improved or worsened. To perform the classification task, various linear and kernel-based systems were implemented and their performances were compared. Based on the results presented in this paper, we conclude that the laser-based imaging permits a reliable classification of pathological finger joints, making it a sensitive method for detecting arthritic changes.
authors.affiliation: Siemens Corporate Technology, Information and Communications, CT IC4, Otto-Hahn-Ring 6, 81739 Munich, Germany. aschwaig@igi.tu-graz.ac.at
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwaighofer
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tresp
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beuthan
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rost
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.forename: Gerhard A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Alexander K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Scheel
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005103:Expert Systems; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D015588:Observer Variation; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity