Affiliations: [a] Chaire de Recherche en Anatomie Fonctionnelle, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières (QC) Canada, G8Z 4M3, Canada | [b] Département D’anatomie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières (QC) Canada, G8Z 4M3, Canada | [c] Groupe de Recherche sur les Affections Neuromusculosquelettiques (GRAN), Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières (QC) Canada, G8Z 4M3, Canada | [d] Département des Sciences de L’activité Physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières (QC) Canada, G8Z 4M3, Canada | [e] Département de Génie Mécanique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières (QC) Canada, G8Z 4M3, Canada | [f] Département de Chimie, Biochimie et Physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières (QC) Canada, G8Z 4M3, Canada | [g] CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec, Centre Hospitalier Affilié Universitaire Régional, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 3R9, Canada
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Professor S. Sobczak, Département D’anatomie de L’Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351, boul. des Forges C.P. 500, Trois-Rivières (Québec) Canada, G8Z 4M3, Canada. E-mail: stephane.sobczak@uqtr.ca.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is no non-invasive in vivo method to assess intervertebral kinematics. Current kinematics models are based on in vitro bone reconstructions from computed tomography (CT)-scan imaging, fluoroscopy and MRIs, which are either expensive or deleterious for human tissues. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is an accessible, easy to use and cost-effective device that allows high-resolution, real-time imaging of bone structure. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this preliminary study was to compare the concordance of 3D bone modeling of lumbar vertebrae between CT-scan and ultrasound imaging and to study the intra and inter-reliability of distances measured on 3D ultrasound bone models. METHODS: CT-scan, ultrasound, and in situ data of five lumbar vertebrae from the same human specimen were used. All vertebrae were scanned by tomography and a new musculoskeletal ultrasound procedure. Then, 3D bone modeling was created from both CT-scan and ultrasound image data set. Distances between anatomical bones landmarks were measured on the 3D models and compared to in situ measurements.
