"Diagnosis of Pediatric In-toeing Possible with X-ray Only, Without CT Scan"

Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Professor Park Mun-seok's Research Team
X-ray Image to 3D Video Implementation Technology
Implemented via Mobile App...No Significant Difference from CT Images
"Diagnosis and Treatment of In-toeing Possible Without Special Equipment"

From the left, Professor Moonseok Park, Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Clinical Fellow Jaejung Min, and Dr. Kibeom Yoon.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A domestic research team has developed a mobile application (app) that can diagnose pediatric in-toeing gait using only standard X-ray images.

The research team led by Professor Park Moon-seok from the Department of Orthopedics at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital (Professor Park Moon-seok, Clinical Fellow Min Jae-jung, Dr. Yoon Ki-beom) announced on the 3rd that their study on developing a mobile app capable of diagnosing in-toeing gait through X-rays was published in the top international journal in orthopedics, The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery-American Volume.

In-toeing gait is a walking pattern where both femurs (thigh bones) or tibias (shin bones) are twisted inward, commonly seen in childhood. It is especially important to identify the exact cause and receive timely treatment in patients with cerebral palsy, who have difficulty controlling their neuromuscular system and poor motor function.

Diagnosis of in-toeing gait mainly uses three-dimensional computed tomography (3D CT). While 3D CT offers the advantage of intuitively assessing the degree of bone torsion, its use in pediatric patients has been very limited due to radiation exposure risks. The EOS diagnostic device, which reduces radiation risk, is large and expensive, making it difficult for most medical institutions to use, and its characteristics make it unsuitable for neuromuscular disease patients who cannot stand for long periods.

To address these issues, the research team conducted a study to develop technology that can reconstruct 3D images using only the routinely taken patient X-ray images and analyzed whether the developed app could be utilized in actual clinical settings.

Three-dimensional photo reconstructed through a mobile diagnostic application (bottom).
It can be confirmed that a highly accurate image was implemented compared to the three-dimensional CT photo (top).
[Photo by Bundang Seoul National University Hospital]

The research team developed a statistical shape model and self-correction technology that reconstructs 3D bone images based on 2D X-ray images and corrects them to closely resemble the actual shape. The 3D images of the tibia reconstructed using the app showed clinically usable high accuracy. When comparing the angles of bone torsion measured from the 3D images reconstructed by the app and those from 3D CT images, the correlation coefficient between the two diagnostic results was 0.865, indicating no significant difference.

This study is meaningful in that it enables accurate diagnosis of in-toeing gait in most medical institutions without special equipment by using the app. It also has the advantage that patients do not need to undergo additional tests to create 3D images of their bones.

Professor Park said, "Through this study, it is expected that highly accurate 3D images can be created using only routinely taken X-ray images," adding, "If medical institutions that had difficulty introducing existing diagnostic devices use this app, it will contribute to identifying the causes of in-toeing gait in pediatric patients and providing appropriate treatment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.