Computer program products and methods for detection and tracking of rheumatoid arthritis

摘要

Methods for producing an image indicative of arthritic symptomatology are provided. The methods during a model building phase create a constrained deformable statistical template. The methods then during a runtime phase fit a plurality of loci in a digitized target radiograph of the specified joint; parameterize positions of the plurality of loci fitted in the digitized target radiograph to generate an instance of the statistical template by deriving values for parameters of the digitized target radiograph from the statistical template; search the digitized target radiograph by applying the statistical template to the digitized target radiograph until an optimal fit of the statistical template to at least one region of the digitized target radiograph is found; and produce a comparison image by comparing the at least one region of the digitized target radiograph with the optimal fit of the statistical template.