Screening of knee-joint vibroarthrographic signals using parameters of activity and radial-basis functions

Abstract

Knee-joint sounds or vibroarthrographic (VAG) signals contain diagnostic information related to the roughness, softening, breakdown, or the state of lubrication of the articular cartilage surfaces. Objective analysis of VAG signals provides features for pattern analysis, classification, and noninvasive diagnosis of knee-joint pathology of various types. We propose the use of several parameters related to the variations or activity in VAG signals, including an adaptive turns count and the variance of the mean-squared value computed during extension, flexion, and a full swing cycle of the leg, to classify VAG signals as normal or abnormal. With a database of 89 VAG signals, screening efficiency of up to 0.8570 was achieved, in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, using a neural network classifier based on radial basis functions.