SCR: a method for remote measurements of ligament structure

Essential for mechanical analyses of ligaments and tendons is a quantitative description of the collagen structure. The present paper introduces a non-destructive and remote method to determine the geometry and the superficial fiber orientation of ligaments and tendons. The method is called SCR (Stereophotogrammetric Curve Reconstruction) and uses principles of traditional photogrammetry. The development of SCR for ligaments and tendons is based on the observation, that ligaments consist of individual fibers, with an almost parallel course between the insertions. The method itself and its application to ligaments are discussed here. The pilot study showed that SCR can be an effective, non-destructive tool to measure ligament-fiber orientation, which has not been possible as yet with any other method. [1 Ref; In English]