3D ultrasound for orthopedic interventions

Ultrasound is a real-time, non-radiation-based imaging modality with an ability to acquire two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) data. Due to these capabilities, research has been carried out in order to incorporate it as an intraoperative imaging modality for various orthopedic surgery procedures. However, high levels of noise, different imaging artifacts, and bone surfaces appearing blurred with several mm in thickness have prohibited the widespread use of ultrasound as a standard of care imaging modality in orthopedics. In this chapter, we provided a detailed overview of numerous applications of 3D ultrasound in the domain of orthopedic surgery. Specifically, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of methods proposed for segmentation and enhancement of bone ultrasound data and the successful application of these methods in clinical domain. Finally, a number of challenges are identified which need to be overcome in order for ultrasound to become a preferred imaging modality in orthopedics.