title: Computer-aided method for quantification of cartilage thickness and volume changes using MRI: validation study using a synthetic model.
abstract: The primary objective of this study was to develop a computer-aided method for the quantification of three-dimensional (3-D) cartilage changes over time in knees with osteoarthritis (OA). We introduced a local coordinate system (LCS) for the femoral and tibial cartilage boundaries that provides a standardized representation of cartilage geometry, thickness, and volume. The LCS can be registered in different data sets from the same patient so that results can be directly compared. Cartilage boundaries are segmented from 3-D magnetic resonance (MR) slices with a semi-automated method and transformed into offset-maps, defined by the LCS. Volumes and thickness are computed from these offset-maps. Further anatomical labeling allows focal volumes to be evaluated in predefined subregions. The accuracy of the automated behavior of the method was assessed, without any human intervention, using realistic, synthetic 3-D MR images of a human knee. The error in thickness evaluation is lower than 0.12 mm for the tibia and femur. Cartilage volumes in anatomical subregions show a coefficient of variation ranging from 0.11% to 0.32%. This method improves noninvasive 3-D analysis of cartilage thickness and volume and is well suited for in vivo follow-up clinical studies of OA knees.
authors.affiliation: ArthroVision, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kauffmann
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gravel
authors.forename: Benoît
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Godbout
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gravel
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beaudoin
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Raynauld
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martel-Pelletier
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: Jacques A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: de Guise
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013382:Subtraction Technique