Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms in diagnosis and therapy of the ankle joint

The recent advancement of computational systems provides fast information exchange and the collection of large amounts of data. Growing number of those systems allow for effective processing of huge amounts of information, utilizing advanced algorithms that are called artificial intelligence (AI). AI has been used for many years, and the number of its applications is growing in various areas. Such solutions are also being developed increasingly in medicine, including orthopedics and radiology, to support the diagnostic and therapeutic processes. Progress in this area is particularly targeted at the skeletal sites that most often require intervention, such as the hip or knee area, with modest interest in the ankle joint. The ankle is one of the most complicated human joints, and therapeutic procedures for its treatment are relatively common. One of the solutions used in the event of serious ankle joint damage is arthroplasty. This review summarizes the current state of AI applications for the diagnosis and therapy of the ankle joint, focusing on trends and achievements in ankle joint arthroplasty and contemporary orthopedic AI solutions. Ideas from other fields of medical diagnostics or orthopedic surgery that may be utilized in the diagnosis and treatment of ankle joint are also discussed.