Web-based multilayer viewing interface for knee cartilage

Many adults suffer from osteoarthritis (OA) with the majority of people over 65 showing radiographic evidence of the disease. To carry out effective diagnosis and treatment, it is necessary to understand the progression of cartilage loss and study the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. Hence, it is important to have accurate, fast diagnosis of the disease. In this paper, we describe a Web-based user interface that enables the direct viewing of 2-D and 3-D image data from the visceral and tissue levels of the biological continuum (i.e., the continuum comprising systems, viscera, tissue, cells, proteins, and genes)--while preserving geometric integrity. This is achieved despite the fact that the data are from different modalities (i.e., magnetic resonance (MR) and light microscopy). The user interface was tested using image data acquired from a study of articular cartilage thickness in the porcine knee. The interface allows the clinician to view both MR and light microscopy images in an integrated manner-with the information linked geometrically.