Evaluating fracture healing using digital X-ray image analysis

Abstract

IN A NUTSHELL
1. Traditional methods of assessing fracture healing are unreliable
2. Alternative assessment methods can be expensive and time consuming
3. Most fracture assessment methods rely on measuring bone mineral density
4. Stiffness is an important measure of fracture healing and return to function
5. Stiffness measurements have been used to predict fracture healing outcome
6. Digital radiography is used routinely in the clinical environment
7. Digital radiography allows computerised image analysis of digital X-ray images
8. DLRSA is a new method of using RSA digital X-ray analysis to measure fracture micro-motion
9. Computerised cross-correlation procedures can be used to measure fracture motion imaged with plain radiographs