Precise Cobb Angle Measurement System Based on Spinal Images Merging Function

• Published in: Ingénierie et recherche biomédicale Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 343 - 352
• Main Authors: Lee, S., Lee, J.S., Kim, J.P., Kim, K., Hwang, C.H., Koo, K.-i.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Masson SAS 01.11.2018
• ISSN: 1959-0318
• DOI: 10.1016/j.irbm.2018.09.002

Convenient and precise measurement of the Cobb angle using a small size X-ray detector has been required for local clinics. Cobb angle measurement system using a conventional X-ray source and detector is proposed for accurate Cobb angle measurement. The system consists of a conventional X-ray source, a ruler-added X-ray table, a conventional X-ray detector, and an image processing program. The X-ray table has the lead ruler patterns. The patterns remain white ruler patterns on X-ray images. The proposed image processing program merges the three spinal X-ray images into one whole spinal X-ray image by detecting the ruler patterns on the three spinal X-ray images. In order to evaluate our program, Cobb angle measured in the merged image is compared with Cobb angle measured in the X-ray image taken by a large X-ray detector. Average of difference between them is 2.251 degree and standard deviation is 1.339. The developed measurement system demonstrated its measurement performance accurately and practically. •Precise Cobb angle measurement system consists of three parts.•A ruler-added table, an image processing program, a typical X-ray imaging system.•The table has the lead ruler patterns to remain white ruler patterns on X-ray images.•The proposed program merges the three spinal images into one whole spinal image.•This merging enables to measure the Cobb angle precisely.