The therapeutic value of mapping and 3D modeling of cartilage lesions in the knee.

It must be the aim to be able to judge the whole joint cartilage in an examination of the joint in the sense of a virtual arthroscopy. The examination must be possible in an acceptable time frame and with a satisfyingly high resolution. The cartilage should be visualized in a two-dimensional, map-like presentation in regard to localization and extension of the defect. This is the only way to include potential cartilage injuries, to localize them, to apply a standardized surgical procedure and to document the results in follow up studies. Therefore it is, on the one hand, the transplantation of cartilage and, on the other hand, the three-dimensional imaging of cartilage that can both lead to an optimization in the therapy of arthrosis. To construct cartilage models from MRI examinations presents a future possibility in the sense of biomechanic analysis and the calculation of finite elements (Vachum Project, http://www.ulb.ac.be/project/vakhum/index.html). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]