97 research outputs found

    Solution à forme produit d'un systeme linéaire

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    Probabilités stationnaires pour des systèmes markoviens discrets

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    Effect of articular cartilage proteoglycan depletion on high frequency ultrasound backscatter

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    AbstractObjective To study the effect of variations of articular cartilage proteoglycans (PG) on high-frequency ultrasound backscatter.Design The study was performed on patellar cartilages of immature and mature rats (N=36). The variation of PG content was induced by enzyme digestion. Control and treated cartilages were explored in vitro using a 55MHz scanning acoustic microscopy, then assessed by histology for the fibrillar collagen organization analysis. The variations of proteoglycan and collagen content were evaluated. Thickness measurements performed on both B-scan images and histologic sections were compared. Ultrasonic radio-frequency signals reflected by the cartilage surface and backscattered from its internal matrix were processed to estimate the integrated reflection coefficient (IRC) and apparent integrated backscatter (AIB).Results Although hyaluronidase treatment of immature and mature cartilages removed approximately 50% of the proteoglycans, the echogenicity level of ultrasound images of degraded cartilages was similar to that of controls. IRC and AIB parameters did not significantly vary. Histologic sections of degraded cartilage displayed no change in collagen fiber organization. The thickness mean values measured by ultrasound in PG-depleted groups were significantly higher than in controls, whereas no significant difference in thickness was detected by histological measurement. The increase in cartilage thickness may potentially be explained by a decrease of speed of sound in PG-depleted cartilages that is more likely subsequent to an increase of water content.ConclusionCurrent results indicate that PG depletion has no significant effect on high frequency ultrasound backscattered from rat patellar cartilage. Ultrasound may provide information about variations of PG content via speed of sound measurement. Copyright 2002 OsteoArthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

    Ultrasonic reflection coefficient and surface roughness index of OA articular cartilage: relation to pathological assessment

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Early diagnosis of Osteoarthritis (OA) is essential for preventing further cartilage destruction and decreasing severe complications. The aims of this study are to explore the relationship between OA pathological grades and quantitative acoustic parameters and to provide more objective criteria for ultrasonic microscopic evaluation of the OA cartilage.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Articular cartilage samples were prepared from rabbit knees and scanned using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). Three quantitative parameters, including the roughness index of the cartilage surface (URI), the reflection coefficients from the cartilage surface (R) and from the cartilage-bone interface (R<sub>bone</sub>) were extracted. The osteoarthritis grades of these cartilage samples were qualitatively assessed by histology according to the grading standards of International Osteoarthritis Institute (OARSI). The relationship between these quantitative parameters and the osteoarthritis grades was explored.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed that URI increased with the OA grade. URI of the normal cartilage samples was significantly lower than the one of the OA cartilage samples. There was no significant difference in URI between the grade 1 cartilage samples and the grade 2 cartilage samples. The reflection coefficient of the cartilage surface reduced significantly with the development of OA (p < 0.05), while the reflection coefficient of the cartilage-bone interface increased with the increase of grade.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>High frequency ultrasound measurements can reflect the changes in the surface roughness index and the ultrasound reflection coefficients of the cartilage samples with different OA grades. This study may provide useful information for the quantitative ultrasonic diagnosis of early OA.</p

    Systèmes markoviens discrets stationnaires et applications

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