Patent Document ID: 20110243416
Application ID: 13058619
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. Apparatus for analysing analyzing the morphometry of a human hip joint, the apparatus comprising:— image receiving means for receiving a digital image of a hip joint; image analysis means comprising an Active Shape Model (ASM) configured to identify a set of landmark points on said image, wherein said set of landmark points includes points which correspond to features of the proximal femur and the region of the pelvis forming the acetabulum, the ASM being further configured to generate an image data-set from the co-ordinates of said landmark points; and data comparison means for comparing said image data-set with one or more comparative data-sets to thereby obtain at least one valve for one or more output modes which characterize the variation of the image data-set from the one or more comparative data-sets, to thereby provide an indication of at least one of the presence and severity of osteoarthritis in the hip and the risk of the hip joint developing osteoarthritis.