Ph.D. Thesis Proposal – Federica Ciliberti

• Supervisor – Paolo Gargiulo, Professor School of Engineering at Reykjavik University and of Director Inst. f. Biomed. and Neural Engineering/ Med. Technology Centre 
• Committee - Magnús Kjartan Gíslason, Reykjavik University, Halldór Jónsson jr, Landspitali, Leandro Pecchia, Università Campus Bio-Medico of Rome

Title - Development of new paradigms for knee cartilage assessment

Abstract - Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects the articular cartilage and the underlying bone. In the knee joint, OA is characterised by cartilage destruction, bone spurs and inflammation. OA is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide and is a major cause of disability, causing swelling, pain and, in severe cases, inability to move.

Treatment of the disease usually involves lifestyle changes, physical therapy, medication and, in severe cases, joint replacement surgery.

Currently, the gold standard for diagnosis is based on imaging techniques such as X-rays, CT and MRI, which provide valuable information on the degree and location of joint damage.

The aim of the project is to develop a patient-specific metric based on CT, MRI and X-ray able to assess the knee condition in a complete novel way.

The project results can be used to provide precise and effective treatments tailored to individual needs and characteristics.

The project collect data from patients diagnosed with OA and healthy control subjects. Various characteristics of bone, cartilage and muscle are extracted from X-rays, CT and MRI scans, including radiological condition, densitometric and geometric characteristics, and radiomic features.

Machine learning techniques will be used to evaluate the significance of the extracted features and create a unique signature of cartilage degeneration. The results of this work will help decision-makers decide on optimal treatment.

This project is part of the European SINPAIN project (https://www.osteoarthritis-sinpain.eu/), which aims to develop new advanced therapies for the treatment of knee OA.