Researchers developed a 3D optical scanning technique to identify wear patterns in hip prostheses, according to kivitv.com.
Researchers first validated the accuracy and precision of the technique by using reference blocks with known wear depths. This procedure was then used to measure the surface wear of a hip resurfacing implant for canines with a highly cross-linked polyethylene liner subjected to more than a million cycles of loading.
The 3D optical scanner generated repeatable colorimetric maps of wear depth in less than 20 minutes — much faster than conventional techniques, which take between 90 minutes and four hours. The generated colorimetric maps allowed the researchers to identify localized regions with greater wear depth and revealed liners with asymmetrical wear patterns. The study results are published in Wear.
The new imaging methodology can be used to evaluate the risk of premature failures in new bearing materials and joint replacement designs. It can be used to improve the life expectancy of the devices.