Web based visualization interface for the assessment of osteoarthritis using MRI

• Main Author: Poh, Chueh Loo.
• Other Authors: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
• Format: Research Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science::Medicine::Biomedical engineering; DRNTU::Science::Medicine::Optical instruments
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/48024
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The main objective of the research project is to design and develop a web-based visualization interface for the assessment of osteoarthritis. This involves the development of semi-automatic segmentation method, cartilage measurement technique, and 2D/3D visualization techniques/interfaces for the knee joint (e.g. bones and cartilage). The project focused on analyzing the articular cartilage thickness of the knee joint using MR images. The following were carried out in the project. 1. A web-based 3D visualization interface has been developed. Using this interface, it is possible to visualize the knee joint in 3D and perform quantitative measurement of anatomical structures. The interface also enables the visibility of 3D structures to be interactively changed. This enables clinician to view structures that would otherwise be obstructed. This interface was subsequently developed using Java to make it web-based. A new 3D trackback function was developed to facilitate the studying of 3D model and 2D images by allowing clinician to click on the 3D model to retrieve corresponding image and highlight the point of interest on the image. 2. A program to visualise both anatomical and quantitative MR images was developed to facilitate the examining of quantitative MR images during diagnosis. 3. A MR noise removal technique which utilized differential evolution for parameters selection has been developed. 4. A semi-automatic segmentation method for the cartilage has been developed to delineate articular cartilage using MR images. 5. A cartilage thickness measurement and visualization program has been developed which measures the articular cartilage thickness using segmented images derived from the semi-automatic segmentation program. An interface that aids segmentation process has been developed. This interface allows clinician to use prior region of interest to initiate the segmentation of bone and cartilage.