Innovative diagnosis of osteoarthritis by endoscopic-compatible fibre Bragg grating-based indentation - Follow-up (Part II)

• Applicants: Privatdozent Dr. Attila Aszódi; Professor Dr. Johannes Roths
• Subject Area: Measurement Systems ; Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology ; Orthopaedics, Traumatology, Reconstructive Surgery
• Term: since 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 280161242

An endoscopy-suitable diagnostic procedure is being researched which, e.g. in the context of early perilesional osteoarthritis, allows objective characterization and localization of cartilage degeneration at an early stage in order to provide the surgeon with a more precise and objective basis for an interoperative treatment decision. Based on the results of the first part of the project, the biomechanical properties of the cartilage are to be determined depth-dependently by microindentation with a fiber Bragg grating-based sensor element. Due to special FBG with π-phase shift, the sensitivity can be increased, allowing the characterization of the superficial boundary layer of the cartilage. The performance of the method will be verified ex vivo on post-traumatic murine cartilage models. The FBG microindentations will be correlated with histological, molecularl and biochemical characterizations in the mouse model and will provide new insights into the pathogenesis of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Tests on human ex vivo cartilage samples will demonstrate the transferability to medical applications.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants