Magnetic resonance image segmentation using semi-automated software for quantification of knee articular cartilage---initial evaluation of a technique for paired scans.

PURPOSE: Software-based image analysis is important for studies of cartilage changes in knee osteoarthritis (OA). This study describes an evaluation of a semi-automated cartilage segmentation software tool capable of quantifying paired images for potential use in longitudinal studies of knee OA. We describe the methodology behind the analysis and demonstrate its use by determination of test-retest analysis precision of duplicate knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data sets. METHODS: Test-retest knee MR images of 12 subjects with a range of knee health were evaluated from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) pilot MR study. Each subject was removed from the magnet between the two scans. The 3D DESS (sagittal, 0.456 mm x 0.365 mm, 0.7 mm slice thickness, TR 16.5 ms, TE 4.7 ms) images were obtained on a 3-T Siemens Trio MR system with a USA Instruments quadrature transmit-receive extremity coil. Segmentation of one 3D-image series was first performed and then the corresponding retest series was segmented by viewing both image series concurrently in two adjacent windows. After manual registration of the series, the first segmentation cartilage outline served as an initial estimate for the second segmentation. We evaluated morphometric measures of the bone and cartilage surface area (tAB and AC), cartilage volume (VC), and mean thickness (ThC.me) for medial/lateral tibia (MT/LT), total femur (F) and patella (P). Test-retest reproducibility was assessed using the root-mean square coefficient of variation (RMS CV%). RESULTS: For the paired analyses, RMS CV % ranged from 0.9% to 1.2% for VC, from 0.3% to 0.7% for AC, from 0.6% to 2.7% for tAB and 0.8% to 1.5% for ThC.me. CONCLUSION: Paired image analysis improved the measurement precision of cartilage segmentation. Our results are in agreement with other publications supporting the use of paired analysis for longitudinal studies of knee OA.

Longitudinal evaluation of the occurrence of MRI-detectable bone marrow edema in osteoarthritis of the knee.

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow edema (BME) is a condition detectable with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and is present in different stages of osteoarthritis (OA). Its pathogenesis is still not completely known. PURPOSE: To evaluate the longitudinal occurrence and persistence of BME in early OA of the knee. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-three patients (eight females, 15 males; mean age 55.5+/-10.3 years) were scanned with a 1.5T MR imaging unit (sagittal fat-suppressed intermediate-weighted fast spin echo; 4-mm section thickness, 1-mm intersection gap, 256 x 192 matrix, 120-mm field of view). Images were obtained in all 23 patients at two time points (TPs) and in 12 patients at three TPs. Images were evaluated by two readers independently; discrepancies in image grading were reviewed and evaluated in consensus. A four-point image-grading scale was used (absence of BME to severe BME). Four main anatomical regions were evaluated (medial femur, lateral femur, medial tibia, lateral tibia), which were subcategorized into anterior, central, and posterior regions. RESULTS: One hundred five areas of BME in the 23 patients were found at all three TPs. In 16 areas, the BME was consistent at the same location over time, in seven locations the BME became larger, in six areas the BME became smaller, and in 16 locations it could not be detected in follow-up MRIs. In one case, the BME was smaller at TP2 but increased at TP3. In eight cases, only at the last time point could a BME be detected. CONCLUSION: BME is not a static phenomenon but changes over time. Correlation to physical activity and local inflammatory reaction should be evaluated.

[The vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C.) and instillation dressing: limb salvage after 3 degrees open fracture with massive bone and soft tissue defect and superinfection]. / Der Vacuum-assisted closure and instillation-" (VAC-Instill-)Verband: Extremitätenerhalt bei drittgradig offener superinfizierter Femurfraktur mit massivem Knochen- und Weichteildefekt.

We report the case of a 17-year-old boy who was hit by a high velocity train. The polytraumatized patient suffered a 3 degrees open femur defect fracture with a substantial loss of the lateral femoral muscles and significant disruption of the soft tissue of the lower leg. The enormous wound areas on the thigh and the lower leg were infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The enormous tissue defects and the superinfection did not leave any hope for saving the limb from amputation. After rapid aggressive debridement and pulsatile lavage, we covered the wounds as a last resort with a new technique of vacuum-assisted closure (V.A.C) and instillation (V.A.C. Instill(R)) dressings. In sequences of 1 min we instilled Lavasept, kept it for 20 min on the wound surface, and exhausted the liquid. We repeated this for 6 consecutive days and then changed the dressing. In the follow-up examinations the number of germs was significantly reduced. During follow-up care we used the V.A.C. treatment without instillation and finally we transplanted skin onto the clean wound surface and were able to save the leg of this young patient. We discharged him with a good function of his lower leg. This technique of V.A.C. Instill seems to offer great possibilities in critically infected wound situations.

Longitudinal in vivo reproducibility of cartilage volume and surface in osteoarthritis of the knee.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the longitudinal reproducibility of cartilage volume and surface area measurements in moderate osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed 5 MRI (GE 1.5T, sagittal 3D SPGR) data sets of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee (Kellgren Lawrence grade I-II). Two scans were performed: one baseline scan and one follow-up scan 3 months later (96 +/- 10 days). For segmentation, 3D Slicer 2.5 software was used. Two segmentations were performed by two readers independently who were blinded to the scan dates. Tibial and femoral cartilage volume and surface were determined. Longitudinal and cross-sectional precision errors were calculated using the standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV%=100x[SD/mean]) from the repeated measurements in each patient. The in vivo reproducibility was then calculated as the root mean square of these individual reproducibility errors. RESULTS: The cross-sectional root mean squared coefficient of variation (RMSE-CV) was 1.2, 2.2 and 2.4% for surface area measurements (femur, medial and lateral tibia respectively) and 1.4, 1.8 and 1.3% for the corresponding cartilage volumes. Longitudinal RMSE-CV was 3.3, 3.1 and 3.7% for the surface area measurements (femur, medial and lateral tibia respectively) and 2.3, 3.3 and 2.4% for femur, medial and lateral tibia cartilage volumes. CONCLUSION: The longitudinal in vivo reproducibility of cartilage surface and volume measurements in the knee using this segmentation method is excellent. To the best of our knowledge we measured, for the first time, the longitudinal reproducibility of cartilage volume and surface area in participants with mild to moderate OA.

Novel fast semi-automated software to segment cartilage for knee MR acquisitions.

OBJECTIVE: Validation of a new fast software technique to segment the cartilage on knee magnetic resonance (MR) acquisitions. Large studies of knee osteoarthritis (OA) will require fast and reproducible methods to quantify cartilage changes for knee MR data. In this report we document and measure the reproducibility and reader time of a software-based technique to quantify the volume and thickness of articular cartilage on knee MR images. METHODS: The software was tested on a set of duplicate sagittal three-dimensional (3D) dual echo steady state (DESS) acquisitions from 15 (8 OA, 7 normal) subjects. The repositioning, inter-reader, and intra-reader reproducibility of the cartilage volume (VC) and thickness (ThC) were measured independently as well as the reader time for each cartilage plate. The root-mean square coefficient of variation (RMSCoV) was used as metric to quantify the reproducibility of VC and mean ThC. RESULTS: The repositioning RMSCoV was as follows: VC=2.0% and ThC=1.2% (femur), VC=2.9% and ThC=1.6% (medial tibial plateau), VC=5.5% and ThC=2.4% (lateral tibial plateau), and VC=4.6% and ThC=2.3% (patella). RMSCoV values were higher for the inter-reader reproducibility (VC: 2.5-8.6%) (ThC: 1.9-5.2%) and lower for the intra-reader reproducibility (VC: 1.6-2.5%) (ThC: 1.2-1.9%). The method required an average of 75.4min per knee. CONCLUSIONS: We have documented a fast reproducible semi-automated software method to segment articular cartilage on knee MR acquisitions.

Evaluation of low-cost computer monitors for the detection of cervical spine injuries in the emergency room: an observer confidence-based study.

BACKGROUND: To compare the diagnostic value of low-cost computer monitors and a Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) workstation for the evaluation of cervical spine fractures in the emergency room. METHODS: Two groups of readers blinded to the diagnoses (2 radiologists and 3 orthopaedic surgeons) independently assessed-digital radiographs of the cervical spine (anterior-posterior, oblique and trans-oral-dens views). The radiographs of 57 patients who arrived consecutively to the emergency room in 2004 with clinical suspicion of a cervical spine injury were evaluated. The diagnostic values of these radiographs were scored on a 3-point scale (1 = diagnosis not possible/bad image quality, 2 = diagnosis uncertain, 3 = clear diagnosis of fracture or no fracture) on a PACS workstation and on two different liquid crystal display (LCD) personal computer monitors. The images were randomised to avoid memory effects. We used logistic mixed-effects models to determine the possible effects of monitor type on the evaluation of x ray images. To determine the overall effects of monitor type, this variable was used as a fixed effect, and the image number and reader group (radiologist or orthopaedic surgeon) were used as random effects on display quality. Group-specific effects were examined, with the reader group and additional fixed effects as terms. A significance level of 0.05 was established for assessing the contribution of each fixed effect to the model. RESULTS: Overall, the diagnostic score did not differ significantly between standard personal computer monitors and the PACS workstation (both p values were 0.78). CONCLUSION: Low-cost LCD personal computer monitors may be useful in establishing a diagnosis of cervical spine fractures in the emergency room.

[Molecular imaging: future uses in arthritides]. / Molekulare Bildgebung: Künftige Anwendungen bei Arthritiden.

Molecular imaging is an upcoming field in radiology as a result of great advances in imaging technology, genetics, and biochemistry in the recent past. Early-stage imaging of molecular pathological changes in cells opens the gates to new methods in medical treatment of diseases that otherwise would only be detected in advanced stages. Methods of imaging biochemical pathways with molecular agents are currently an issue of intensive research. This article reviews current modalities of molecular imaging in arthritis that should offer future perspective on early disease detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of treatment efficiency and how they can pave the way to optimized therapy.