Detecting Hip Dysplasia Using Acoustic Excitation in a Pig Model

Timely detection of Developmental Dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in infants and children is crucial as DDH can lead to permanent hip instability if diagnosis is delayed [1]. Existing methods of DDH detection, such as ultrasound and x-rays, are expensive and require trained medical personnel to perform and interpret the tests. Furthermore, x-rays subject patients to ionizing radiation with its attendant cancer risks, especially problematic when repeat studies are performed. In the current study, an acoustic non-invasive approach for DDH detection in a postmortem pig model is presented. We previously designed and tested a similar approach in different simplified benchtop models of the hip joint [2]. A compact system to assess sound transmission through joints was also tested [3] [4]. Moreover, physics-based computational studies were carried out to explain biomechanical factors determining the reduction of dislocated hips [5] [6] [7].