A total of 26 healthy tendons and 4 degenerated tendons were examined for this study. Automated identification (AI) of tendon boundaries was performed in transverse slices with isotropic resolution (0.8 mm) gained with a T2-weighted SPACE sequence at 3 T. For AI a snake algorithm was applied and compared to manual tracing (MT).
AI was feasible in all examined tendons without further correction. AI of both tendons was performed in each participant within 2 min (2 脳 37 slices) compared to MT lasting 20 min. MT and AI showed excellent agreement and correlation (R2 = 0.99, p < 0.0001). AI provided a reduction of measurement error (0.4 cm3 vs. 0.5 cm3) and coefficient of variation (1%vs. 2%).
Compared to MT the AI allows assessment of tendon volumes in highly resolved MRI data in a more accurate and reliable time-saving way. Therefore automated volume detection is seen as a helpful clinical tool for evaluation of small volumetric changes of the Achilles tendon.