MECHANICAL AXIS ALIGNMENT USING MRI IMAGING
First Claim
1. A method of imaging a body part comprising:
- locating a first anatomical reference area of the body part;
locating a second anatomical reference area of the body part;
locating a third anatomical reference area of the body part, the third anatomical reference area disposed generally between the first and second anatomical reference areas;
positioning a first member of a reference tool relative to the first anatomical reference area;
positioning a second member of the reference tool relative to the second anatomical reference area;
positioning a pivotal coupling member relative to the third anatomical reference area, the pivotal coupling member pivotally coupling the first and second members of the reference tool; and
imaging a target area of the body part to produce an image, the image including the target area of the body part and at least a portion of the first and second members, the at least a portion of the first member indicating a first axis of the body part in the image, and the at least a portion of the second member indicating a second axis of the body part in the image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of imaging a body part includes locating a first, second and third anatomical reference area. The third anatomical reference area is disposed generally between the first and second anatomical reference areas. Furthermore, the method includes positioning a first member of a reference tool relative to the first anatomical reference area, positioning a second member of the reference tool relative to the second anatomical reference area, and a pivotal coupling member relative to the third anatomical reference area. The pivotal coupling member pivotally couples the first and second members of the reference tool. In addition, the method includes imaging a target area of the body part to produce an image. The image includes the target area of the body part and the first and second members. The first member indicates a first axis of the body part, and the second member indicates a second axis of the body part.
67 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of imaging a body part comprising:
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locating a first anatomical reference area of the body part; locating a second anatomical reference area of the body part; locating a third anatomical reference area of the body part, the third anatomical reference area disposed generally between the first and second anatomical reference areas; positioning a first member of a reference tool relative to the first anatomical reference area; positioning a second member of the reference tool relative to the second anatomical reference area; positioning a pivotal coupling member relative to the third anatomical reference area, the pivotal coupling member pivotally coupling the first and second members of the reference tool; and imaging a target area of the body part to produce an image, the image including the target area of the body part and at least a portion of the first and second members, the at least a portion of the first member indicating a first axis of the body part in the image, and the at least a portion of the second member indicating a second axis of the body part in the image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A reference tool for indicating anatomical features of a body part, the reference tool comprising:
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a first member positionable relative to a first anatomical reference area of the body part; a second member positionable relative to a second anatomical reference area of the body part; and a pivotable coupling member pivotally coupling the first member and the second member, the pivotable coupling member locatable relative to a third reference point of the body part disposed generally between the first and second anatomical reference areas, the first member and the second member being detectable on an image of a target area of the body part such that the first member indicates a first axis of the body part in the image and the second member indicates a second axis of the body part in the image. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of imaging a knee joint of a leg comprising:
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locating an approximate center of a femoral head of the leg; locating an approximate center of an ankle joint of the leg; locating an approximate center of a knee joint of the leg; positioning a pivotal coupling member over the approximate center of the knee joint of the leg, the pivotal coupling member pivotally coupling a first and a second member of a reference tool; pivoting the first member of the reference tool to position the first member over the approximate center of the femoral head; pivoting the second member of the reference tool to position the second member over the approximate center of the ankle joint; and imaging the knee joint to produce an image of the knee joint and at least a portion of the first and second members, the at least a portion of the first member indicating a mechanical axis of the leg in the image, and the at least a portion of the second member indicating a tibial axis of the leg in the image. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of imaging a body part comprising:
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locating a first anatomical reference area of the body part; locating a second anatomical reference area of the body part; positioning a first member of a reference tool relative to the first anatomical reference area; positioning a second member of the reference tool relative to the second anatomical reference area, the second member disposed at a positive angle relative to the first member; and imaging a target area of the body part to produce an image, the image including the target area of the body part and at least a portion of the first and second members, the at least a portion of the first member indicating a first axis of the body part in the image, and the at least a portion of the second member indicating a second axis of the body part in the image. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification