Technical note: Measuring bicondylar length in computed tomography data

Area of Science:

• Osteology
• Biotechnology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• 3D imaging is increasingly used in biological research.
• Classical anatomical measurements need adaptation for virtual environments.
• Femur bicondylar length is a critical dimension for various studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present detailed protocols for measuring femur bicondylar length using 3D imaging software.
• To standardize virtual osteology techniques for biomechanical research, stature estimation, and anthropological studies.
• To provide accurate and reproducible measurement methods for researchers and practitioners.

Main Methods:

• Adapted femoral bicondylar length measurements from computed tomography (CT) images.
• Developed and tested protocols for three software platforms: 3D Slicer™, Amira™, and Simpleware™.
• Validated accuracy and consistency through cross-observer and cross-platform comparisons.

Main Results:

• Provided step-by-step guides and video tutorials for each software program.
• Illustrated bone alignment and measurement procedures.
• Demonstrated effective bicondylar length measurement in all tested software.

Conclusions:

• Femur bicondylar length can be measured effectively using the provided protocols across different software.
• Ease of measurement varied among software, highlighting the need to select appropriate tools.
• Findings suggest areas for software improvement and standardization in virtual osteology.