Validation of watershed-based segmentation of the cartilage surface from sequential CT arthrography scans.

Background: This study investigated the utility of a 2-dimensional watershed algorithm for identifying the cartilage surface in computed tomography (CT) arthrograms of the knee up to 33 minutes after an intra-articular iohexol injection as boundary blurring increased.

Methods: A 2D watershed algorithm was applied to CT arthrograms of 3 bovine stifle joints taken 3, 8, 18, and 33 minutes after iohexol injection and used to segment tibial cartilage. Thickness measurements were compared to a reference standard thickness measurement and the 3-minute time point scan.

Open Source Software for Automatic Subregional Assessment of Knee Cartilage Degradation Using Quantitative T2 Relaxometry and Deep Learning.

Objective: We evaluated a fully automated femoral cartilage segmentation model for measuring T2 relaxation values and longitudinal changes using multi-echo spin-echo (MESE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We open sourced this model and developed a web app available at https://kl.stanford.

Effects of the Competitive Season and Off-Season on Knee Articular Cartilage in Collegiate Basketball Players Using Quantitative MRI: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Injuries to the articular cartilage in the knee are common in jumping athletes, particularly high-level basketball players. Unfortunately, these are often diagnosed at a late stage of the disease process, after tissue loss has already occurred.

Purpose/hypothesis: To evaluate longitudinal changes in knee articular cartilage and knee function in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball players and their evolution over the competitive season and off-season.

Characterizing the transient response of knee cartilage to running: Decreases in cartilage T of female recreational runners.

Cartilage transmits and redistributes biomechanical loads in the knee joint during exercise. Exercise-induced loading alters cartilage hydration and is detectable using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), where T relaxation time (T ) is influenced by cartilage collagen composition, fiber orientation, and changes in the extracellular matrix. This study characterized short-term transient responses of healthy knee cartilage to running-induced loading using bilateral scans and image registration.

The prevalence of femoroacetabular impingement anatomy in Division 1 aquatic athletes who tread water.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a disorder that causes hip pain and disability in young patients, particularly athletes. Increased stress on the hip during development has been associated with increased risk of cam morphology. The specific forces involved are unclear, but may be due to continued rotational motion, like the eggbeater kick.

The effect of wedge and tibial slope angles on knee contact pressure and kinematics following medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy.

Background: High tibial osteotomy is a surgical procedure to treat medial compartment osteoarthritis in varus knees. The reported success rates of the procedure are inconsistent, which may be due to sagittal plane alignment of the osteotomy. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of changing tibial slope, for a range of tibial wedge angles in high tibial osteotomy, on knee joint contact pressure location and kinematics during continuous loaded flexion/extension.

Five-minute knee MRI for simultaneous morphometry and T relaxometry of cartilage and meniscus and for semiquantitative radiological assessment using double-echo in steady-state at 3T.

Background: Biomarkers for assessing osteoarthritis activity necessitate multiple MRI sequences with long acquisition times.

Purpose: To perform 5-minute simultaneous morphometry (thickness/volume measurements) and T relaxometry of both cartilage and meniscus, and semiquantitative MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Scoring (MOAKS).

Study Type: Prospective.

Making Safe Surgery Affordable: Design of a Surgical Drill Cover System for Scale.

Many surgeons in low-resource settings do not have access to safe, affordable, or reliable surgical drilling tools. Surgeons often resort to nonsterile hardware drills because they are affordable, robust, and efficient, but they are impossible to sterilize using steam. A promising alternative is to use a Drill Cover system (a sterilizable fabric bag plus surgical chuck adapter) so that a nonsterile hardware drill can be used safely for surgical bone drilling.