Early Diagnosis System of Cartilage Degeneration by Ultrasound

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1.Ultrasonic system was established to measure articular cartilage using wavelet transform of reflected wave.2.It is found that strength of reflected wave indicates dynamic stiffness while endurance time indicates damage in the cartilage by simultaneous measurements of dynamic stiffness, density, sound velocity and defects in the cartilage.3.It is found that dynamic stiffness, sound velocity and density reduce with a development of degeneration. Thereafter, endurance time of the reflected wave increases and internal reflection appears.4.It is confirmed by experiment with articular cartilage specimens degenerated by use of collagenase enzyme that maximum strength of the reflected wave decreases with a development of degeneration.5.By means of ultrasonic measurement for unstable rabbit knee model by cutting of ligaments and meniscus and for degenerated cartilage model by collagenase treatment, cartilage at medial femoral chondyle degenerates at first and then degeneration appears at lateral femoral chondyle.6.In addition to the transducer of piezo-electric ceramic, transducer of piezo-electric polymer was produced. Both types were prove applicable to diagnoses of knee joint, hip joint, finger joint and vertebra.7.Cartilage surface of transplanted bone-cartilage complex was measured. It is found that regenerated cartilage after transplantation survives during daily life though its dynamic stiffness is lower than the original cartilage.8.Dynamic stiffness of rabbit knee articular cartilage cultured in vitro was significantly lower than the original cartilage.9.Rabbit knee articular cartilages regenerated by means of several regeneration therapies were measured and compared. According to the result, bone marrows induced to the defect by drilling and chondrocytes injected to scaffold produced cartilage with high dynamic stiffness.