Diagnosis of articular cartilage using 3-D visualization and correlation with patient data

Arthritis is a generic condition indicating inflammation of a joint. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. In this condition, the articular cartilage, the smooth gliding surface of the joint, is worn away. Image processing algorithms and advanced graphics techniques have been combined to detect wear in the articular cartilage. The cartilage was separated from the MRI data and image segmentation and thresholding algorithms have isolated the area of wear. A binary gradient masking technique was used to draw contours around the abnormality. A virtual three-dimensional model was developed showing different views, including a transparent view that enables one to see lesion inside the cartilage.