Injured and painful joints feature complex dynamics the understanding of which can help clinicians figure out how to address a variety of conditions. To really visualize the working insides, one has to image them while the patient is using the offending joint.
Researchers at George Mason University have put together a system that uses existing technologies to give a detailed view of how the musculoskeletal components of the leg function. Little white balls are stuck to specific points all over the patient’s body and an ultrasound probe with Doppler capability is attached to the leg. The patient is then asked to perform a number of tasks while the ultrasound is recording and cameras track the white balls to divine exactly how the person is moving. Putting the two modalities together provides a new ability to improve the effectiveness of biomechanical studies. In addition, other techniques, such as electromyography, can be used in conjunction to gain further insights.
Full open access article with video in JoVE: A Novel Application of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Imaging…
