A Novel Screening Method for Scoliosis Using a Bodysuit and 3-Dimensional Imaging.

STUDY DESIGN: A single-center prospective observational study. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the usefulness of a novel scoliosis screening method using a 3-dimensional (3D) human fitting application and a specific bodysuit. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Several scoliosis screening methods, such as scoliometer and Moiré topography, are available for detecting scoliosis. In the present study, a novel screening method for scoliosis using a 3D human fitting application and a specific bodysuit was developed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with scoliosis or suspected scoliosis, patients with non-scoliosis, and healthy volunteers were enrolled. They were divided into "non-scoliosis" and "scoliosis" groups. The scoliosis group was further subdivided into "mild," "moderate," and "severe-scoliosis" groups. Patients' characteristics and Z values, which were calculated by a 3D virtual human body model created by a 3D human fitting application and a specific bodysuit to evaluate trunk asymmetry caused by scoliosis, were compared between the non-scoliosis and scoliosis groups or among the non, mild, moderate and severe-scoliosis groups. Finally, the optimal cutoff of the Z value was determined to detect moderate to severe scoliosis using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: A total of 101 patients were included. The non-scoliosis group consisted of 47 patients, and the scoliosis group included 54 patients, with 11, 31, and 12 patients in the mild, moderate, and severe-scoliosis groups, respectively. The scoliosis group showed a significantly higher Z value than the non-scoliosis group. The moderate or severe-scoliosis group had a significantly higher Z value than the non or mild-scoliosis group. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the optimal cutoff of the Z value was 19.9 mm (sensitivity, 95.3% and specificity, 58.6%). CONCLUSION: A novel scoliosis screening method consisting of a 3D human fitting application and a specific bodysuit may be useful for detecting moderate to severe scoliosis.

A low-cost digital filing system for echocardiography data with MPEG4 compression and its application to remote diagnosis.

The high cost of digital echocardiographs and the large size of data files hinder the adoption of remote diagnosis of digitized echocardiography data. We have developed a low-cost digital filing system for echocardiography data. In this system, data from a conventional analog echocardiograph are captured using a personal computer (PC) equipped with an analog-to-digital converter board. Motion picture data are promptly compressed using a moving pictures expert group (MPEG) 4 codec. The digitized data with preliminary reports obtained in a rural hospital are then sent to cardiologists at distant urban general hospitals via the internet. The cardiologists can evaluate the data using widely available movie-viewing software (Windows Media Player). The diagnostic accuracy of this double-check system was confirmed by comparison with ordinary super-VHS videotapes. We have demonstrated that digitization of echocardiography data from a conventional analog echocardiograph and MPEG 4 compression can be performed using an ordinary PC-based system, and that this system enables highly efficient digital storage and remote diagnosis at low cost.