Analysis of cartilage surfaces using laser speckle imaging

Abstract: An arthroscope is a diagnostic instrument for visualisation of the interior of a joint. By adding a laser to an arthroscope and feeding the images to a computer, one gets an method to measure the structure of the cartilage covering the joint. This gives an added diagnostic value. The laser will create laser speckles and this report covers the basic theories behind this. The anatomy of the joints, the properties of cartilage and the background on the disease arthritis are also covered, as well as the field of surface topography and image processing. Experiments were performed on three different materials - metals of different definite surface roughness, polymerised collagen and bovine articular cartilage. The conclusion is that the technique would work, providing that some obstacles could be overcome. The technique itself is very precise and detects nanometric differences in the surface structure, making it extremely interesting for research purposes, such as follow-ups on treatments and studies of arthritis and cartilage repair.