Design and Performance Analysis of a Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Compatible Device for Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Injury Diagnosis.

Abstract

Pain and injury of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) due to overuse or trauma are commonly diagnosed through static MRI scanning, while TFCC is always involved in radial and ulnar deviation of the wrist. To the best of our knowledge, a dynamic MRI diagnostic method and auxiliary tool have not been applied or fully developed in the literature. As such, this study presents the design and evaluation of a dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) auxiliary tool for TFCC injury diagnosis. First, 3D scanning and Python are used to measure and fit the radial and ulnar deviation trajectories of healthy participants and patients. 3D printing is then used to manufacture the auxiliary tool for dynamic MRI, and dynamic MRI diagnosis is then conducted to explore the clinical effect. The radial and ulnar deviation trajectory is presented as an asymmetric curve without an obvious circular centre, and the results indicate that the designed auxiliary device meets the requirements of the ulnar and radial movements of the human wrist. According to the MRI contrast test results, the image quality score of patients wearing the auxiliary device is higher than for those without. Such devices could assist clinicians in the diagnosis of TFCC damage, and our method could not only serve as the reference standard for clinical noninvasive diagnosis but also help in understanding the disease and improving the accuracy of TFCC diagnosis.