We seek to improve the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from hip and ankle pathology using volumetric imaging (CT, MRI), dynamic imaging (dual fluoroscopy), motion analysis, and computational modeling (musculoskeletal/FE/statistical shape modeling). Our group has expertise in femoroacetabular impingement, hip dysplasia, and ankle arthritis. We analyze how abnormal anatomy influences human biomechanics at multiple levels of the physiome for these conditions – from analysis of whole-body kinematics to quantification of cartilage contact mechanics.
One of our specialties is incorporating patient-specific variables, such as anatomy, muscle geometry, and motion profiles, to better-understand how these features (unique to the individual) pre-dispose the ankle and hip joints to early degeneration. In doing so, we hope to illuminate novel strategies to diagnose and treat joints early in the stages of osteoarthritis such that we can prevent or delay the need for joint replacement.
Our group is also leading the development and deployment of 3D methods that objectively diagnose conditions such as femoroacetabular impingement and dysplasia. With NIH funding, we are using statistical shape modeling to characterize anatomical variation among groups and sub-groups of patients with abnormally shaped hips. These models should reduce misdiagnosis rates and assist clinicians with selecting the most appropriate treatment.
Finally, with NIH funding, our lab quantifies motion of human joints using a combination of high-speed dual fluoroscopy and skin marker motion analysis. Here, we seek to establish the relationship between form (i.e. anatomy) and function (i.e. joint motion). We are currently extending this protocol to image patients before and after surgery to quantify the extent in which treatment restores joint function.
Our group maintains active collaborations with surgeons and researchers in the Department of Orthopaedics, as well as Bioengineering and Physical Therapy. We also collaborate with computer scientists at the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute and School of Computing