The recognition and modelling of a backbone and its deformity

• Main Authors: Ramūnas Markauskas, Algimantas Juozapavičius, Kęstutis Saniukas, Giedrius Bernotavičius
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vilnius University Press 2014-01-01
• Series: Nonlinear Analysis
• Subjects: active contours; Hough; Falling Ball; mathematical modelling of the backbone; adolescent idiopathic scoliosis; spinal deformities
• Online Access: http://www.journals.vu.lt/nonlinear-analysis/article/view/13692

In this article the authors present a method for the backbone recognition and modelling. The process of recognition combines some classical techniques (Hough transformation, GVF snakes) with some new (authors present a method for initial curvature detection, which they call the Falling Ball method). The result enables us to identify high-quality features of the spine and to detect the major deformities of backbone: the intercrestal line, centre sacral vertical line, C7 plumbline; as well as angles: proximal thoracic curve, main thoracic curve, thoracolumbar/lumbar. These features are used for measure in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, especially in the case of treatment. Input data are just radiographic images, meet in everyday practice.