title: Structural health monitoring (vibration) as a tool for identifying structural alterations of the lumbar spine: a twin control study.
abstract: Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an engineering technique used to identify mechanical abnormalities not readily apparent through other means. Recently, SHM has been adapted for use in biological systems, but its invasive nature limits its clinical application. As such, the purpose of this project was to determine if a non-invasive form of SHM could identify structural alterations in the spines of living human subjects. Lumbar spines of 10 twin pairs were visualized by magnetic resonance imaging then assessed by a blinded radiologist to determine whether twin pairs were structurally concordant or discordant. Vibration was then applied to each subject's spine and the resulting response recorded from sensors overlying lumbar spinous processes. The peak frequency, area under the curve and the root mean square were computed from the frequency response function of each sensor. Statistical analysis demonstrated that in twins whose structural appearance was discordant, peak frequency was significantly different between twin pairs while in concordant twins, no outcomes were significantly different. From these results, we conclude that structural changes within the spine can alter its vibration response. As such, further investigation of SHM to identify spinal abnormalities in larger human populations is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Gregory N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Kawchuk
authors.affiliation: University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.|Nordic Institute of Chiropractic and Clinical Biomechanics, Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hartvigsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Edgecombe
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Narasimha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: MOVE Research Institute Amsterdam, Department of Human Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jaap H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: van Dieen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic; D014732:Vibration