Biomedical engineer Dr Ju Zhang Photo: supplied
Hip and knee replacements are fairly common procedures but because everyone's body is unique they're not straightforward and not always successful.
Now a New Zealand research company has developed a revolutionary 3D modelling software to help orthopaedic surgeons work out the perfect size of a joint replacement piece before surgery.
Biomedical engineer Dr Ju Zhang is the CEO and co-founder (with fellow bioengineer Thor Besier) of Formus Labs, which has developed the automated planning software.
Using a type of AI, the Formus software platform can produce a 3D model of a joint much more detailed than a 2D X-ray can provide, Dr Zhang tells Kathryn Ryan.
First, the software determines bone from muscle, then it extracts a digital 3D model of the patient's "anatomical landmarks" - the places surgeons typically do their cuts or drill their holes, Dr Zhang says.
Surgeons in Australasia, the US and Canada are now using the Formus software, Dr Zhang says, and they are also working with multinational orthopaedics company.
