Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Their Applications, 2nd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Radiographic acquisition techniques have undergone tremendous improvements since their invention. Image resolution has greatly increased and the reduction in the dose of X-ray radiation required for its creation has been achieved. The increased amount of imaging data does not necessarily mean that more medical information is accessible to the reader. Some (but often important) information is hidden from the radiologist. This is especially true for radiographic techniques.

The purpose of advanced image-analysis systems is to extract occulted data to improve the objectivity of diagnosis for a given case. The treatment of clinical problems with information obtained using advanced image analyses has increased. In musculoskeletal radiology, proven associations exist between bone scan analyses, patient health and metabolic status. Moreover, the processes of bone maturation, bone healing, bone demineralization and deformation due to overuse can be extensively analyzed with the use of CR, CT and MRI. Advanced methods significantly improve differentiation and hence the diagnostic process of medication for different lesions including neoplasms of the bone.

Papers investigating the application of both classical image processing and artificial intelligence (AI) methods in the analysis and extraction of diagnostically useful data from medical images are welcomed in this Special Issue. Such methods assist in the investigation of the shape and geometry of, for example, bone tissue or its fragments. Other AI approaches allow for the automatic detection and segmentation of tissues or organs and the assessment of their pathologies. For this purpose, the achievements of radiomics are particularly useful, including image-texture analyses. Various machine learning methods are also useful for exploring medical imaging data and are widely used in medical diagnostic support systems. Deep learning algorithms play a particularly important role in this respect. Recently, dynamic developments have been achieved in the field of deep learning algorithms, and their effectiveness has been confirmed in numerous applications of medical image analyses of various modalities.

Prof. Dr. Rafał Obuchowicz
Dr. Monika Ostrogórska
Prof. Dr. Michał Strzelecki
Prof. Dr. Adam Piórkowski
Topic Editors

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Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Applied Sciences applsci	2.5	5.3	2011	17.8 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
BioMed biomed	-	-	2021	20.3 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Diagnostics diagnostics	3.0	4.7	2011	20.5 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Journal of Clinical Medicine jcm	3.0	5.7	2012	17.3 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Journal of Imaging jimaging	2.7	5.9	2015	20.9 Days	CHF 1800	Submit

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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17 pages, 1591 KiB  

Open AccessReview

MuscleMap: An Open-Source, Community-Supported Consortium for Whole-Body Quantitative MRI of Muscle

by Marnee J. McKay, Kenneth A. Weber II, Evert O. Wesselink, Zachary A. Smith, Rebecca Abbott, David B. Anderson, Claire E. Ashton-James, John Atyeo, Aaron J. Beach, Joshua Burns, Stephen Clarke, Natalie J. Collins, Michel W. Coppieters, Jon Cornwall, Rebecca J. Crawford, Enrico De Martino, Adam G. Dunn, Jillian P. Eyles, Henry J. Feng, Maryse Fortin, Melinda M. Franettovich Smith, Graham Galloway, Ziba Gandomkar, Sarah Glastras, Luke A. Henderson, Julie A. Hides, Claire E. Hiller, Sarah N. Hilmer, Mark A. Hoggarth, Brian Kim, Navneet Lal, Laura LaPorta, John S. Magnussen, Sarah Maloney, Lyn March, Andrea G. Nackley, Shaun P. O’Leary, Anneli Peolsson, Zuzana Perraton, Annelies L. Pool-Goudzwaard, Margaret Schnitzler, Amee L. Seitz, Adam I. Semciw, Philip W. Sheard, Andrew C. Smith, Suzanne J. Snodgrass, Justin Sullivan, Vienna Tran, Stephanie Valentin, David M. Walton, Laurelie R. Wishart and James M. Elliottadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list

J. Imaging 2024, 10(11), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging10110262 - 22 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1449

Abstract

Disorders affecting the neurological and musculoskeletal systems represent international health priorities. A significant impediment to progress in trials of new therapies is the absence of responsive, objective, and valid outcome measures sensitive to early disease changes. A key finding in individuals with neuromuscular [...] Read more.

Disorders affecting the neurological and musculoskeletal systems represent international health priorities. A significant impediment to progress in trials of new therapies is the absence of responsive, objective, and valid outcome measures sensitive to early disease changes. A key finding in individuals with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders is the compositional changes to muscles, evinced by the expression of fatty infiltrates. Quantification of skeletal muscle composition by MRI has emerged as a sensitive marker for the severity of these disorders; however, little is known about the composition of healthy muscles across the lifespan. Knowledge of what is ‘typical’ age-related muscle composition is essential to accurately identify and evaluate what is ‘atypical’. This innovative project, known as the MuscleMap, will achieve the first important steps towards establishing a world-first, normative reference MRI dataset of skeletal muscle composition with the potential to provide valuable insights into various diseases and disorders, ultimately improving patient care and advancing research in the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Their Applications, 2nd Edition)

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11 pages, 1109 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Musculoskeletal Dimension and Brightness Reference Values in Lumbar Magnetic Resonance Imaging—A Radio-Anatomic Investigation in 80 Healthy Adult Individuals

by Horst Balling, Boris Michael Holzapfel, Wolfgang Böcker, Dominic Simon, Paul Reidler and Joerg Arnholdt

J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(15), 4496; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13154496 - 1 Aug 2024

Viewed by 942

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred diagnostic means to visualize spinal pathologies, and offers the possibility of precise structural tissue analysis. However, knowledge about MRI-based measurements of physiological cross-sectional musculoskeletal dimensions and associated tissue-specific average structural brightness in the lumbar [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred diagnostic means to visualize spinal pathologies, and offers the possibility of precise structural tissue analysis. However, knowledge about MRI-based measurements of physiological cross-sectional musculoskeletal dimensions and associated tissue-specific average structural brightness in the lumbar spine of healthy young women and men is scarce. The current study was planned to investigate characteristic intersexual differences and to provide MRI-related musculoskeletal baseline values before the onset of biological aging. Methods: At a single medical center, lumbar MRI scans of 40 women and 40 men aged 20–40 years who presented with moderate nonspecific low back pain were retrospectively evaluated for sex-specific differences in cross-sectional sizes of the fifth lumbar vertebrae, psoas and posterior paravertebral muscles, and respective sex- and age-dependent average brightness alterations on T2-weighted axial sections in the L5-level. Results: In women (mean age 33.5 years ± 5.0 (standard deviation)), the investigated musculoskeletal cross-sectional area sizes were significantly smaller (p < 0.001) compared to those in men (mean age 33.0 years ± 5.7). Respective average musculoskeletal brightness values were higher in women compared to those in men, and most pronounced in posterior paravertebral muscles (p < 0.001). By correlating brightness results to those of subcutaneous fat tissue, all intersexual differences, including those between fifth lumbar vertebrae and psoas muscles, turned out to be statistically significant. This phenomenon was least pronounced in psoas muscles. Conclusions: Lumbar musculoskeletal parameters showed significantly larger dimensions of investigated anatomical structures in men compared to those in women aged 20–40 years, and an earlier onset and faster progress of bone loss and muscle degradation in women. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Their Applications, 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 1755 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Cross-Sectional Area and Echogenicity Reference Values for Sonography of Peripheral Nerves in the Lithuanian Population

by Evelina Grusauskiene, Agne Smigelskyte, Erisela Qerama and Daiva Rastenyte

Diagnostics 2024, 14(13), 1373; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics14131373 - 28 Jun 2024

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Abstract

Objectives: We aimed to provide data of nerve sizes and echogenicity reference values of the Lithuanian population. Methods: High-resolution ultrasound was bilaterally performed according to the Ultrasound Pattern Sum Score and Neuropathy ultrasound protocols for healthy Lithuanian adults. Cross-sectional area (CSA) measurement and [...] Read more.

Objectives: We aimed to provide data of nerve sizes and echogenicity reference values of the Lithuanian population. Methods: High-resolution ultrasound was bilaterally performed according to the Ultrasound Pattern Sum Score and Neuropathy ultrasound protocols for healthy Lithuanian adults. Cross-sectional area (CSA) measurement and echogenicity were used as the main parameters for investigation. Echogenicity was evaluated using ImageJ, and nerves were categorized in classes according to echogenicity. Results: Of 125 subjects enrolled, 63 were males (mean age 47.57 years, range 25–78 years) and 62 were females (mean age 50.50 years, range 25–80 years). Reference values of nerve sizes and values of echogenicity as a fraction of black in percentage of cervical roots, upper and middle trunks of the brachial plexus and the following nerves: vagal, median, ulnar, radial, superficial radial, tibial, fibular, and sural in standard regions were established. Mild to moderate correlations were found between nerves CSA, echogenicity values and anthropometric measurements with the differences according to sex. Inter-rater (ICC 0.93; 95% CI 0.92–0.94) and intra-rater (ICC 0.94; 95% CI 0.93–0.95) reliability was excellent. Conclusions: Reference values of nerve size and echogenicity of Lithuanians were presented for the first time as a novel such kind of publication from the Baltic countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Their Applications, 2nd Edition)

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13 pages, 6554 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Noise-Optimized CBCT Imaging of Temporomandibular Joints—The Impact of AI on Image Quality

by Wojciech Kazimierczak, Kamila Kędziora, Joanna Janiszewska-Olszowska, Natalia Kazimierczak and Zbigniew Serafin

J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(5), 1502; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13051502 - 5 Mar 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1736

Abstract

Background: Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a common medical condition. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is effective in assessing TMD-related bone changes, but image noise may impair diagnosis. Emerging deep learning reconstruction algorithms (DLRs) could minimize noise and improve CBCT image clarity. This [...] Read more.

Background: Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a common medical condition. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is effective in assessing TMD-related bone changes, but image noise may impair diagnosis. Emerging deep learning reconstruction algorithms (DLRs) could minimize noise and improve CBCT image clarity. This study compares standard and deep learning-enhanced CBCT images for image quality in detecting osteoarthritis-related degeneration in TMJs (temporomandibular joints). This study analyzed CBCT images of patients with suspected temporomandibular joint degenerative joint disease (TMJ DJD). Methods: The DLM reconstructions were performed with ClariCT.AI software. Image quality was evaluated objectively via CNR in target areas and subjectively by two experts using a five-point scale. Both readers also assessed TMJ DJD lesions. The study involved 50 patients with a mean age of 28.29 years. Results: Objective analysis revealed a significantly better image quality in DLM reconstructions (CNR levels; p < 0.001). Subjective assessment showed high inter-reader agreement (κ = 0.805) but no significant difference in image quality between the reconstruction types (p = 0.055). Lesion counts were not significantly correlated with the reconstruction type (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The analyzed DLM reconstruction notably enhanced the objective image quality in TMJ CBCT images but did not significantly alter the subjective quality or DJD lesion diagnosis. However, the readers favored DLM images, indicating the potential for better TMD diagnosis with CBCT, meriting more study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Their Applications, 2nd Edition)

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13 pages, 2360 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Correlation between Subchondral Insufficiency Fracture of the Knee and Osteoarthritis Progression in Patients with Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tear

by Bing-Kuan Chen, Yi-Cheng Lin, Yu-Hsin Liu, Pei-Wei Weng, Kuan-Hao Chen, Chang-Jung Chiang and Chin-Chean Wong

Diagnostics 2023, 13(23), 3532; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13233532 - 26 Nov 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1814

Abstract

A medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) contributes to knee joint degeneration. Arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair (ATPR) may restore biomechanical integrity for load transmission. However, degeneration persists after ATPR in certain patients, particularly those with preoperative subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee (SIFK). [...] Read more.

A medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) contributes to knee joint degeneration. Arthroscopic transtibial pullout repair (ATPR) may restore biomechanical integrity for load transmission. However, degeneration persists after ATPR in certain patients, particularly those with preoperative subchondral insufficiency fracture of the knee (SIFK). We explored the relationship between preoperative SIFK and osteoarthritis (OA) progression in retrospectively enrolled patients who were diagnosed as having an MMPRT and had received ATPR within a single institute. Based on their preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), these patients were then categorized into SIFK and non-SIFK groups. OA progression was evaluated by determining Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) grade changes and preoperative and postoperative median joint widths. SIFK characteristics were quantified using Image J (Version 1.52a). Both groups exhibited significant post-ATPR changes in medial knee joint widths. The SIFK group demonstrated significant KL grade changes (p < 0.0001). A larger SIFK size in the tibia and a greater lesion-to-tibia length ratio in the coronal view were positively correlated with more significant KL grade changes (p = 0.008 and 0.002, respectively). Thus, preoperative SIFK in patients with an MMPRT was associated with knee OA progression. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between SIFK lesion characteristics and knee OA progression. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Their Applications, 2nd Edition)

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