Introduction and evaluation of a novel multi-camera surface topography system

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Surface topography offers a radiation-free method for assessing spinal deformities.
• Current systems are limited to posterior trunk analysis due to single-camera setups.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce a novel multi-camera surface topography system.
• Evaluate the reliability and validity of this new system for simultaneous anterior and posterior trunk measurements.

Main Methods:

• A two-camera system was employed for simultaneous front and back imaging.
• Inter- and intra-rater reliability were assessed on 40 subjects.
• Validation was performed using MRI and CT scans of human subjects and a phantom model.

Main Results:

• High inter- (0.97-0.99) and intra-rater (0.81-0.98) reliability were observed for surface structure detection, area, and volume measurements.
• CT-based validation of the phantom model showed good correspondence (0.61-10.52%).
• Human subject validation yielded good to moderate results (1.36-13.34%), with moderate validity noted for jugular notch measurements (0.62-27.5%).

Conclusions:

• A novel surface topography system for simultaneous anterior and posterior trunk measurements has been developed.
• The system demonstrates satisfactory reliability and validity for assessing spinal deformities.
• Further refinement is needed for surface topography reconstruction, particularly around the jugular notch region.