Assessment of a Novel Technique for In-Vivo Investigation of Joint Cartilage Deformation Characteristics

Cartilage is characterized by unique biomechanical and morphological properties. These properties are dictated mainly by the visco-elastic behavior of the interstitial matrix. Attempts to quantify the biomechanical properties of cartilage have been based on in-vitro confined and unconfined compression experiments and indentation tests, in-situ measurements of intact cadaveric knee joint specimens under loading using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), numerical modeling, or in-vivo techniques such as those applying arthroscopic indentation or loading with MR imaging.