title: A comparison of registration techniques for computer- and image-assisted elbow surgery.
abstract: Optimal function following elbow replacement surgery is dependent on the accurate replication of the elbow's flexion-extension axis. Currently, position and orientation of the axis are estimated from visual landmarks. In order to develop computer-assisted techniques to more accurately define this axis, a surface-based registration technique employing a hand-held laser scanner was evaluated against a conventional paired-point registration method to determine whether it produced improved alignment of the flexion-extension axis of the elbow. Registration error was 0.8 +/- 0.3 mm for surface-based registration, compared with 1.9 +/- 1.0 mm for the conventional registration method. These results suggest that the implementation of a surface-based registration technique may lead to a more accurate axis determination and improved clinical outcomes following elbow replacement surgery.
authors.affiliation: Bioengineering Research Laboratory, The Hand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph's Health Care, London, Ontario.
authors.forename: Colin P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Brownhill
authors.forename: Graham J W
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Terry M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000379:methods*; D002102:Cadaver; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*