Thesis
Development of a low-cost postural measurement system to assist during assessment, optimal correction, and casting of the spinal orthosis for scoliosis patients
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2024
- Thesis identifier
- T16884
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 201992178
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a spine pathology in teenagers that causes 3-dimensional deformities. Radiographs are a standard outcome measurement method that can be evaluated for coronal and sagittal plane deformities but lack 3-dimensional information. Casting is a process of capturing the trunk shape under force correction by clinicians. Scoliosis casting frames are uncommon in clinical practice due to difficulty in usage and lack of evidence. There is a lack of information about the force magnitude, force locations and directions to correct deformity in three dimensions during casting.The study objective was to develop and validate a system that could quantify the spinal deformity of AIS patients in 3 dimensions, apply forces to correct the spinal deformity in three dimensions, measure the magnitude of forces and illustrate those force directions in three dimensions. This study also sought to clarify scoliosis deformity in 3 dimensions and how it changed on applying forces during casting.A low-cost postural measurement system was developed using 8 Raspberry Pi mini-computers with integrated cameras arranged in a circle that communicated wirelessly with a main computer. The software was written in C++ and ran on Visual Studio 2019 and Windows 10. The stereo camera concept was used and implemented with OpenCV for camera calibration and marker position calculations in 3 dimensions. Each Raspberry Pi captured an image of the marker, which was stored on the central computer where the marker position in 3D space was calculated and used to quantify relevant spinal parameters. Six load cells were calibrated and used to measure the magnitude of the forces applied during casting. A Scoliosis casting apparatus was designed in the SolidWorks program and built following the design to apply the casting forces using manipulator arms. Force measuring software was written in Python and ran on Visual Studio 2017 and Windows 10. Validation of the data obtained was demonstrated by a series of experiments during the development process. After completing development, the systems were tested with AIS patients, and the data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The RMSE of the developed postural measurement system when locating markers was 2.42 mm, appropriate for quantifying scoliosis deformity in clinical practice. The validity of the system for clinical practice was examined in a clinical experiment that recruited ten AIS participants. The experiment was approved by ethical committees from the University of Strathclyde and Mahidol University. The assessment result was that the postural measurement system had a high concurrent validity compared to radiographs for CSA (r-value: 0.57 - 0.96), SSA (r-value: 0.35 - 0.94) and trunk balance (r-value = 0.91). In coronal spinal parameters for the postural measurement system in assessment VS optimal correction and assessment VS casting, there was a reduction percentage of apical translation of approximately 50% with a statistically significant difference in reduction of apical translation. However, there was no statistically significant difference in CSA. For optimal correction VS casting, there was a statistically significant equivalence when the margin of equivalence (M) was 5°. In SSA, there was a statistically significant equivalence when M = 9° for assessment VS optimal correction and 8° for assessment VS casting and optimal correction VS casting. In 3DSA, there was no statistically significant difference for assessment VS optimal correction and assessment VS casting. There was statistically significant equivalence when M = 8° for optimal correction VS casting. There was a high reduction of trunk balance from assessment (-8.19 mm, SD = 11.58) to optimal correction (-1.25 mm, SD = 4.56) and casting (-0.71 mm, SD = 3.32). However, there was no statistically significant difference. There was a statistically significant equivalence when M = 3 mm for optimal correction VS casting. Trunk asymmetry (POTSI) improved from 33.54% (SD = 16.23) in assessment to 22.80% (SD = 12.41) in casting. The mean of the total reduction of the horizontal trunk rotation angle was 14.83° (SD = 12.44). The force to correct the deformity at each area was approximately 30 N, and the total force each patient had to tolerate during optimal correction was approximately 150 N.In conclusion, we produced a system that could quantify, in three dimensions, the spinal deformity of AIS patients, produce relevant spinal parameters and quantify casting force magnitude and direction. This could be done before and after casting and hence quantify the effects of casting. The scoliosis casting apparatus itself could be suitably adjusted to apply forces to correct deformity in three dimensions as part of clinical practice. The system as a whole has the potential to quantify spinal orthotic practice and hence base practice on a scientific evidential basis.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Rowe, Philip
- Resource Type
- DOI
- Funder
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PDF of thesis T16884 | 2024-04-23 | Pubblico | Scaricare |