Using MRI for the imaging of long bones : First experiences

Many applications in medical research and development require virtual three dimensional (3D) models of bones. The current gold standard for the acquisition of such data is Computer Tomography (CT) scanning. Due to the amount of radiation involved, CT scanning is generally limited to the imaging of clinical cases and cadaver specimens [Messmer, 2007]. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is not routinely used for the imaging of bones because of difficulties in precise segmentation between bone and certain soft tissue types as well as higher costs compared to CT. As MRI does not involve ionising radiation it is ideally suited for the imaging of volunteers, who can be recruited according to study specific requirements. This study aimed to develop a MRI scanning protocol suitable to image the legs of volunteers and to provide an initial validation of the geometrical accuracy of the reconstructed 3D models.