Markerless 3D Assessment of Severity and Progression of Scoliosis Using Surface Topography on Isolated Back Scans

• Author / Creator

  Teal, Andrew W

• The objectives of the thesis were to: 1. Determine if open source software can be use in markerless asymmetry analysis of surface topography. 2. Determine if isolated back scans can be used in markerless asymmetry analysis of surface topography. Markerless asymmetry analysis of surface topography utilizes 3D scan points collected from patients with scoliosis. This analysis can help reduce the number of x-rays required in the course of treatment for scoliosis patients, thus reducing cancer risks associated with repeated x-ray exposure during treatment. Previous studies used full torso scans and analysed these scans using proprietary software. Full torso scans from 67 patients were analyzed utilizing the markerless asymmetry analysis techniques previously reported by Komeili et al. The scans were analyzed with the open source software and the results were compared to the results from previous studies. For the second part of the study, the points in the full torso scan associated with the back only were isolated and the analysis was repeated. Results from the isolated back analysis were compared with the results of the full torso analysis for asymmetry values associated with identified patches of scoliotic deformity. The use of the open source software provided analysis results that were within 2.2 mm of the results from previous studies with a 95% confidence interval for both the max deviation and root mean square results. 3.4 mm was the threshold of acceptable agreement, based on previous studies of asymmetry of healthy patients. The analysis of the isolated back using the same method provided results with a 95% confidence interval of 16.1 mm on max deviation and 3.1 mm on root mean square. 3.4 mm was the threshold of acceptable agreement, based on previous studies of asymmetry of healthy patients. The open source software approach provided accurate results when compared with the previous studies that utilized proprietary software, demonstrating that the open source software provides a viable alternative to the higher priced proprietary option. The analysis of the isolated back scans showed that the decision trees and indices developed by Komeili et al. cannot be applied to analysis results obtained from the isolated back scans in the same way they are applied to the full torso back scans. The use of the isolated back scans would require further research into the application of other methods of analyzing surface topography.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Scoliosis

• Graduation date

  Spring 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-2583-kz86

• License

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