A Versatile X-Ray System for Characterization and Assessment of Tissue Injury Under Loaded Conditions

患有肌肉骨骼损伤的人平均寿命为36年，这是任何疾病中持续时间最长的健康影响。这使得识别伤害的起始和最终预防这些伤害成为加拿大人和所有工业化国家的一个关键问题。肌肉骨骼疾病仍然是主要的工作场所赔偿，每年有超过250，000起索赔，平均持续14天，导致每年损失350万个工作日。我们研究小组的一个主要目标是评估组织对长时间负荷暴露的损伤反应。这些体外生理暴露提供了对损伤如何开始的深入了解。虽然现有的材料测试系统是世界领先的，但在记录损伤进展的能力方面存在重大障碍。目前的方法仅限于机械测试前后的医学图像或暴露后的解剖。我们的目标是扩大定量组织表征和评估的系统，使暴露于生理力和姿势的组织成像。 所要求的数字牙科X射线系统将是一项核心支持技术，致力于：1）创建新的模型驱动算法，用于定量分析和评估组织损伤进展; 2）开发X射线图像处理，以提高分辨率、图像序列重建和对比度。虽然我们在组织损伤表征方面取得了成功，但大部分工作都是在不充分的方法或偏远设施下完成的。我们的研究步伐将大大加快现场访问一个关节X射线系统。拟议中的设备对华盛顿大学至少8名研究人员的工作至关重要，他们需要在机械测试期间对组织样本进行快速成像。该系统将提供快速重新配置和实验成像曝光的能力，以完善组织损伤的基本成像。成功获取所需的X射线系统将支持定量组织表征和损伤预防策略评估，并进一步了解膝关节骨关节炎、上肢神经疾病和下背部椎间盘退变的组织生理学。这些应用构成了影响个人、工作场所和最终医疗保健系统的重要进步。 拟议的设备将为大约60名高素质人员提供培训机会，包括研究生和本科生。学生将接受生物力学设计方法，与临床和工业合作伙伴的多学科合作以及实验研究和验证方法的培训。工业、医疗保健和政府政策需要这些关键技能来设计和开发新的伤害预防和临床管理流程。

Individuals live an average of 36 years with a musculoskeletal injury, the longest lasting health impact of any disease. This makes identification of injury initiation and ultimately the prevention of these injuries a crucial issue for Canadians and all industrialized nations. Musculoskeletal disorders remain the leading workplace compensation with over 250,000 annual claims, lasting an average of 14 days - resulting in 3.5 million lost work days yearly. A major goal of our research team is to evaluate tissue injury response to prolonged load exposures. These physiological in vitro exposures provide insight into how injuries initiate. While the material test systems in place are world leading, a significant barrier exists in the ability to document injury progression. Current approaches are limited to either medical images before and after mechanical testing or dissection following exposures. We aim to expand the quantitative tissue characterization and assessment with a system that enables imaging of tissues exposed to physiologic forces and postures. The requested digital dental X-ray system will be a central supporting technology dedicated to: 1) the creation of new model-driven algorithms for quantitative analysis and assessment of tissue injury progression and 2) the development of X-ray image processing for improved resolution, image sequence reconstruction, and contrast. Though we have had success in tissue injury characterization, much of this work was done with insufficient approaches or at remote facilities. Our research pace would be greatly accelerated by on-site access to an articulating X-ray system. The proposed equipment is crucial to the work of at least eight investigators at UW requiring access to rapid imaging of tissue samples during mechanical testing. The system will provide the ability to rapidly reconfigure and experiment with imaging exposures to refine fundamental imaging of tissue injury. The successful acquisition of the requested X-ray system will support quantitative tissue characterization and assessment for injury prevention strategies as well as enabling further understanding of tissue physiology for knee osteoarthritis, neural disorders of the upper extremity, and low back disc degeneration. These applications constitute important advances impacting individuals, workplaces, and ultimately the health care system. The proposed equipment will enable training opportunities for approximately 60 highly qualified personnel, including both graduate and undergraduate students. Students will receive training in biomechanical design methods, multi-disciplinary collaborations with clinical and industrial partners, and experimental research and validation methods. Industry, health care and government policy require these critical skills for designing and developing new injury prevention and clinical management processes.