A method for automated masking and plantar pressure analysis using segmented computed tomography scans.

Background: Plantar pressure, a common gait and foot biomechanics measurement, is typically analyzed using proprietary commercial software packages. Regional plantar pressure analysis is often reported in terms of underlying bony geometry, and recent advances in image processing and accessibility have made computed tomography, radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, or other imaging methods more popular for incorporating bone analyses in biomechanics.

Research Question: Can a computed tomography-based regional mask provide comparable regional analysis to commercial plantar pressure software and can the increased flexibility of an in-house method obtain additional insight from common measurements?

Methods: A plantar pressure analysis method was developed based on bony geometry from computed tomography scans to calculate peak pressure, pressure time integral incorporating sub-peak values, force time integral, pressure gradient, and pressure gradient angle.

The effect of diabetes and tissue depth on adipose chamber size and plantar soft tissue features.

Background: Plantar ulceration is a serious complication of diabetes. However, the mechanism of injury initiating ulceration remains unclear. The unique structure of the plantar soft tissue includes superficial and deep layers of adipocytes contained in septal chambers, however, the size of these chambers has not been quantified in diabetic or non-diabetic tissue.