Chondrometrics GmbH - medical data processing

TEAM & SERVICES

Chondrometrics Team Chondrometrics GmbH provides expert consultation and image analysis service to academic researchers and the pharmaceutical industry. The strength of Chondrometrics, we believe, lies in the dedication and experience of its team of specialized researchers and readers, the profound integration with the scientific community, the rigorous scientific validation of its methodologies, and the transparency of its technology by publication in leading scientific journals. At Chondrometrics, we value our clients as collaborators, react immediately to their requests and specific needs, provide validated scientific information, communicate promptly, and act with anticipation.

The service of Chondrometrics supports:

Clinical studies, investigating the efficacy of disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADs) of other therapeutic approaches in osteoarthritis
Animal studies, investigating the efficacy of DMOADs and other therapeutic approaches in OA
Epidemiological studies, investigating the risk factors of OA incidence and progression
Basic research studies, investigating functional adaptation and the biomechanics or articular tissues
Technical development of image analysis software solutions for quantitative measurement of anatomical structures, including strategies for validating these measurements

The service of Chondrometrics involves:

Consultation on study designs and MR image acquisition protocols
Quality checks or continuous monitoring of image acquisitions in multicenter studies
Segmentation of relevant anatomical structures in medical image data by its team of well-trained and highly experienced readers
Quality controls of all segmented images by a team of experts
Computation of 3D quantitative endpoints, including total joint structures and anatomically defined subregions
Delivery of quantitative endpoints to customer database in requested format
Consultation on interpretations of study results

The team of Chondrometrics includes:

Operational Management

Prof. Dr. Felix Eckstein, MD, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Medical Officer, > CV

Felix Eckstein

Current Position: CEO and CMO at Chondrometrics GmbH
Email: eckstein@cho.de@chondrometrics.comde
Mobile: +49 162 7316401
Degree: Univ. Professor, Dr. med. (MD)

Felix Eckstein was born in Freiburg, Germany. He studied Medicine in Freiburg and Heidelberg and graduated in 1991. In 1987 he received a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service to study Medicine at Bristol University (U.K.), and in 1988 a scholarship from the Dr. Carl Duisberg Stiftung to work on his doctoral thesis at the University of Innsbruck (Austria).

In 1991, Felix Eckstein joined the research group led by Prof. Reinhard Putz at the Institute of Anatomy at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany. From 1993 to 1995, he joined the Institute of Diagnostic Imaging at LMU, where he started his work on quantitative MRI of articular tissue. He completed his "Habilitation" at the Institute of Anatomy in 1997.

In 2003, he founded Chondrometrics GmbH, now a leading provider of medial image analysis services to researchers in academia and in the pharmaceutical industry.

In 2004, Felix Eckstein became Professor of Anatomy and Director of the Institute of Anatomy at Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) in Salzburg. His research focuses on the integration of imaging methods for understanding the morphology, function and pathophysiology of musculoskeletal tissues, in particular osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. He has authored more than 300 original and 40 review articles.

Felix Eckstein was president of the German Society of Biomechanics (DGfB) from 2002 to 2003, Secretary General of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) from 2005 to 2006, and board member of OARSI from 2005 through 2009.

He organized the first International Workshop on Osteoarthritis Imaging (IWOAI) in Ainring in 2007, and the fifth IWOAI in Salzburg in June 2011.

In September 2010, Felix Eckstein received the "Clinical Research Award" from OARSI, and in 2015 a research award for his group from the Germany Adacemy of Rheumatic Sciences. In 2013 he became member of the German National Academy of Science.

In 2019 he assumed a research professorship and is now head of the Department of Imaging & Functional Musculoskeletal Research at the Institute of Anatomy & Cell Biology at PMU.

Prof. Dr. Reinhard Putz, MD, Vice President, > CV

Reinhard Putz

Current Position: Vice president
Email: reinhard.putz@med.uni-muenchen.de
Degree: Univ.-Prof., Dr. univ. med. (MD)

Reinhard Putz was born in Innsbruck/Austria. He studyied medicine and graduated in 1968. He became Assistant Professor at the University of Innsbruck Institute of Anatomy, where he completed his postdoctoral thesis (Habilitation) in 1979. After research stays in Munich and Freiburg/Germany, Professor Putz became Director of the Institute of Anatomy at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. In 1989, Professor Putz was appointed Director of the Institute of Anatomy at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München. Between 2003 and 2010 he served Vice- President of LMU. Professor Putz retired from his academic positions in September 2010. In 2003, Professor Putz was a cofounder of Chondrometrics GmbH and since serves as Vice President of the company.

Professor Putz’s research focuses on the biomechanics of the skeletal system, especially the formfunction relationship of the joints and the spine. He has also addressed various topics concerning clinical anatomy and general aspects of medical education, leading to approximately 250 publications and more than oral 450 presentations. Professor Putz was instrumental in producing a series of anatomy textbooks with international circulation (e.g. Sobotta, Atlas of Anatomy). Reinhard Putz was engaged in a series of scientific journals and serves as Associate Editor of Advances in Anatomy, Histology and Embryology.

Reinhard Putz was president of the European Association of Clinical Anatomy (EACA) form 1991 to 1993, Associate Secretary General of EACA from 1993 to 2003, Vice-President of the German Society of Biomechanics (DGfB) 1997-1999, member of the board of the “Anatomische Gesellschaft” from 1998 to 2002, member of the board of the German Reunion of Medical Schools from 2003 to 2006. He was a reviewer of the German Research Foundation from 1996 to 2004 and member of the Board of National Medical Examination (part 1) from 1993 to 2003. Since 2009 Reinhard Putz is member of the board of governors of Medical University of Innsbruck/Austria.

The academic work of Professor Reinhard Putz has been recognized in the form of numerous national and international awards and prizes. These include an honorary degree from the University of Constanta (Romania) and membership in the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. He also received the Friedrich-Pauwels Medal of the German Society of Orthopedics, and the Ars Legendi award by the German Rectors’ Conference and Donor’s Association for German Science for “Excellence in teaching“ and for organising a new master program (“Master of Medical Education”) together with the University of Heidelberg.

Dr. Wolfgang Wirth, PhD, Chief Technology Officer and Quality Manager, > CV

Wolfgang Wirth

Current Position: CTO and Quality Manager
Email: wirth@cho.de@chondrometrics.comde
Mobile: +49 175 16 16 561
Degree: Dr. rer. biol. hum Dipl.-Inf.

Wolfgang Wirth was born in Fürstenfeldbruck, German. He studied Computer Science at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and graduated in 2006. While studying at the TUM, Wolfgang Wirth was a co-founder of BitoS GmbH in 2004, a company focusing on mobile applications. In 2003, Wolfgang Wirth became a free-lancer at Chondrometrics GmbH, for which he develops software applications for quality control, segmentation and quantitative analysis of anatomical structures, including cartilage, meniscus and muscle.

He completed his master thesis titled “Automatic detection of subregions in cartilage plates for the quantitative analysis in osteoarthritis patients” and graduated with a “Master of Science” degree in “Computer Science” from TUM in 2006.

From 2007, Wolfgang Wirth worked at the Institute of Anatomy of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) in Munich, Germany in the research group led by Prof. Reinhard Putz. Professor Putz also was supervisor for his PhD doctoral thesis titled “Longitudinal Analysis of Cartilage Morphology in Subregions of Knee Osteoarthritis Patients”.

Since 2009, Wolfgang Wirth works at the “Institute of Anatomy and Musculoskeletal Research” at Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) in Salzburg, Austria, led by Prof. Felix Eckstein. In 2010, Wolfgang Wirth became co-owner of Chondrometrics GmbH and is responsible for the IT infrastructure, software development, and quality management in the company. Wolfgang Wirth has authored and co-authored more than 100 original scientific papers in leading scientific journals.

Dr. Susanne Maschek, PhD, Chief of Human Resources, Education, and Quality Control, > CV

Susanne Maschek

Current Position: Chief of Human Resources, Education, and Quality Control
Email: maschek@cho.de@chondrometrics.comde
Mobile: +49 177 4458099
Degree: Dr. med. vet. (PhD)

Susanne Maschek was born in Munich, Germany. She studied Veterinary Medicine at the LMU Munich, Germany and graduated in 1995.

From 1995 to 1997 Susanne Maschek worked with the group of Prof. Fritz Grimm at the Institute of Avian Medicine, LMU, Oberschleißheim, Germany for her PhD doktoral thesis titled "Studies of Heavy Metal Toxification in Predatory Birds, and Multi-Element Analyses Using Neutron Activation Analysis in Feathers". She performed the neutron activation analysis at the Research Reactor Center of the Department of Physics, TUM, Garching under the guidance of Prof. Schreckenbach, where she had a part time employment. Susanne Maschek worked also as substitute in several veterinary surgeries during this period.

From 1999 on she was employed in a veterinary surgery, Oberaichbach, Germany, with focus on tall animals (cattle, horses) and birds until her child-raising leave (2001 to 2003).

From 2004 to 2014 Susanne Maschek worked as freelancer at Chondrometrics GmbH. In 2015 she became Chief of Human Resources, Education, and Quality Control. She performs segmentations and is responsible for supervision and quality control of quantitative readings, as well as for the training and education of technicians. Since 2010 she is co-owner of Chondrometrics GmbH.

Susanne Maschek also performs segmentation and quality control readings freelance-based for the Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology of the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) in Salzburg, Austria.

Anna Wisser, M.Sc., Project Manager > CV

Anna Wisser

Current Position: Project Manager
Email: wisser@cho.de@chondrometrics.comde
Mobile: +49 178 2056552
Degree: M.Sc. Human Technology in Sports and Medicine

Anna Wisser was born in Böblingen, Germany. She studied "Sport Science" and "Sport Therapy" at the University of Freiburg and graduated in 2014. Following her Bachelors degree, she continued her education in the master program "Human Technology in Sports and Medicine" at the German Sport University Cologne. She completed the degree with her thesis on the "Validation of an IMU-based Measurement System in Preparation for Clinical Gait Analysis" in 2017.

During her studies she gained in-depth knowledge in the core areas of sport science, as physiology and biomechanics, as well as in fields like data management and analysis. Outside of her education in the field of sport science she was educated in business administration, business strategy and project management.

From September 2018 on Anna Wisser has been supporting the Chondrometrics team in the areas of project management and quality control. She is also enrolled in the Medical Science Doctorate Study Program (PhD) at the Paracelsus Medical University (PMU) in Salzburg. Her research project deals with the "Dependence of functional performance measures (chair stand and walk tests) on lower limb pain, radiographic osteoarthritis status, and thigh bone / muscle / adipose phenotypes".

Software Development, Quality Management, Data Base Management

Dr. Wolfgang Wirth, PhD
Dr. Jan Hohe, PhD

Project Management and Quality Control

Dr. Susanne Maschek, PhD
Anna Wisser, M.Sc.

Training, Supervision, and Quality Control of Quantitative Readings

Dr. Susanne Maschek, PhD
Prof. Dr. Felix Eckstein, MD

Readers (Segmentation)

Gudrun Goldmann
Susanne Maschek, PhD
Jana Daimer
Sabine Mühlsimer
Annette Thebis
Barbara Wehr, PhD

RESEARCH

> Academic Grants

Chondrometrics software or analysis services have been used in many academically funded projects:

R01 Grant NIH AR054806 (National Institute of Health); 2008 through 2013
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, and Dr. Leena Sharma, Northwestern University Chicago, IL, principal investigator of the project
Relationship of Hip Muscle Group Weakness to Deterioration of the OA Knee by MRI.

P60 Grant NIH AR048098 (National Institute of Health); 2007 through 2012
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, Dr. Leena Sharma, Northwestern University Chicago, IL, principal investigator of the project, and Dr. Richard Pope, Northwestern University Chicago, IL, principal investigator of the Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center
Potential Beneficial Role of Hip Muscles in Knee Osteoarthritis.

RO1 NIH Grant AR052528-01A2 (National Institute of Health); 2006 through 2011
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, and Dr. Stephen Messier, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, NC, principal investigator of the project
Intensive Dietary Restriction with Exercise in Arthritis

Vendor Contract of the Osteoarthritis Initiative Coordinating Center at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) No. 9000011523; 2008 through 2010
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, with Dr. Michael Nevitt, University of California San Francisco, principal investigator of the project
Quantitative Cartilage Analysis in a Sample of OA Initiative Index Knees

Vendor Contract of the Osteoarthritis Initiative Coordinating Center at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) No. 9000011571; 2008 through 2009
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, with Dr. Michael Nevitt, University of California San Francisco, principal investigator of the project
Baseline, 12, and 24 Month Quantitative Cartilage Analysis in a Sample of 107 OA Initiative Index Knees

American College of Radiology; 2007 through 2008
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subrecipient agreement, with Dr. Tim Mosher, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Milton Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, principal investigator of the project
Reproducibility and stability of measures of cartilage morphology with 3 Tesla MR imaging

RO1 NIH Grant HD043500 (National Institute of Health); 2005 through 2007
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, and Dr. Leena Sharma, Northwestern University Chicago, IL, principal investigator of the project
Laxity and malalignment in a large cohort study of OA (MOST).

RO1 Grant NIH AR48216 (National Institute of Health); 2002 through 2007
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, and Dr. Leena Sharma, Northwestern University Chicago, IL, principal investigator of the project
Thema: Progression of knee OA: The role of local factors (MAK).

NIH (National Institute of Health) Consultancy; 2004 through 2005
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, with Dr. Michael Nevitt, University of California San Francisco, principal investigator of the project
Test-Retest Cartilage Volume Analysis for Cross Validation and Coil Comparison in the Osteoarthritis Initiative Pilot Study.

Arthritis Foundation Clinical Sciences Grant; 2001 through 2006
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, and Dr. David Felson, Boston Universiy, Boston, MA, principal investigator of the project
Correlates of articular cartilage volume and thickness in Framingham Subjects.

Center Grant NIH # P60 AR47785 (National Institute of Health); 2001 through 2006
Dr. Felix Eckstein, principal investigator of the subcontract, and Dr. David Felson, Boston Universiy, Boston, MA, principal investigator of the project
Correlates of Articular Cartilage Thickness in Knees of Subjects in the Framingham Study.

> Scientific Posters For Download

> Published Review Articles, Monographs & Book Chapters

Eckstein F, Wirth W, Culvenor AG.
Osteoarthritis year in review 2020: imaging.
Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2021 Feb;29(2):170-179.

Eckstein F, Buck R, Wirth W
Location-independent analysis of structural progression of osteoarthritis-taking it all apart, and putting the puzzle back together makes the difference
Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism 46(4):404-410 (2017)

Guerrero Y, Soomro N, Wilson G, Dam Y, Meiklejohn J, Simpson K, Smith R, Brand-Miller J, Simic M, O'Connor H, Mavros Y, Foroughi N, Poon T, Bradshaw K, March L, Vanwanseele B, Eckstein F, Fransen M, Bergamasco J, Anandacoomarasamy A, Singh MF
Train high eat low for Osteoarthritis study (THE LO study): protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Journal of Physiotherapy 61:217 (2015)

Willie B, Pap T, Perka C, Schmidt C, Eckstein F, Arampatzis A, Hege H, Madry H, Vortkamp A, Duda G
Overload of joints and its role in osteoarthritis: Towards understanding and preventing progression of primary osteoarthritis.
Rheumatology 74:618-621 (2015)

Eckstein F, Guermazi A, Gold G, Duryea J, Hellio Le Graverand M.-P, Wirth W, Miller CG
Imaging of cartilage and bone: promises and pitfalls in clinical trials of osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 22:1516-1532 (2014)

Roemer FW, Eckstein F, Hayashi D, Guermazi A
The role of imaging in osteoarthritis.
Best Practice and Research in Clinical Rheumatology 28:31-60 (2014)

Eckstein F, Kwoh CK, Link TM; for the OAI investigators
Imaging research results from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI): a review and lessons learned 10 years after start of enrolment.
Annals of Rheumatic Diseases 73:1289-3000 (2014)

Eckstein F, Kwoh K
Imaging in Rheumatology in 2013: From images to data to theory
Nature Reviews Rheumatology 10:69-70 (2014)

Guermazi A, Hayashi D, Eckstein F, Hunter DJ, Duryea J, Roemer FW
Imaging of osteoarthritis.
Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America 39:67-105 (2013)

Hunter DJ, Eckstein F, Kraus VB, Losina E, Sandell L, Guermazi A
Imaging biomarker validation and qualification report: Sixth OARSI Workshop on Imaging in Osteoarthritis combined with third OA Biomarkers Workshop.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 21:939-942 (2013)

Eckstein F, Wirth W, Nevitt MC
Recent advances in osteoarthritis imaging - the Osteoarthritis Initiative
Nature Reviews Rheumatology 8:622-630 (2012)

Eckstein F, Wirth W
Quantitative cartilage imaging in knee osteoarthritis
Arthritis 2011 Article ID 475684 doi:10.1155/2011/475684
http://www.hindawi.com/journals/arth/2011/475684.html

Hunter DJ, Eckstein F
From joint anatomy to clinical outcomes in osteoarthritis and cartilage repair: summary of the fifth annual osteoarthritis imaging workshop.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 19:1263-1269 (2011)

Hunter DJ, Arden N, Conaghan PG, Eckstein F, Gold G, Grainger A, Guermazi A, Harvey W, Jones G, Hellio Le Graverand MP, Laredo JD, Lo G, Losina E, Mosher TJ, Roemer F, Zhang W; on behalf of the OARSI OA Imaging Working Group.
Definition of osteoarthritis on MRI: result of a Delphi exercise
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 19:963-969 (2011)

Eckstein F
Quantitative morphological imaging of the knee joint.
In: Advances in MRI of the knee for Osteoarthritis: World Scientific (2010)

Roemer FW, Eckstein F, Guermazi A
Magnetic resonance imaging-based semiquantitative and quantitative assessment in osteoarthritis.
Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America 35(3):521-55 (2009)

Trattnig S, Domayer S, Welsch GW, Mosher T, Eckstein F
MR imaging of cartilage and its repair in the knee ? a review.
European Radiology 19(7):1582-94 (2009)

Eckstein F, Guermazi A, Roemer FW
Quantitative MR imaging of cartilage and trabecular bone in osteoarthritis
Radiologic Clinics of North America 47(4): 655-73 (2009)

Hunter DJ, Le Graverand MP, Eckstein F
Radiologic makers of osteoarthritis progression.
Current Opinion in Rheumatology 21(2):110-7 (2009)

Hunter DJ, Eckstein F
Exercise and osteoarthritis.
Journal of Anatomy 214(2):197-207 (2009)

Guermazi A, Eckstein F, Hellio Le Graverand-Gastineau MP, Conaghan PG, Burstein D, Keen H, Roemer FW
Osteoarthritis: current role of imaging.
The Medical Clinics of North America 93(1):101-26 (2009)

Guermazi A, Burstein D, Conaghan P, Eckstein F, Hellio Le Graverand-Gastineau MP, Keen H, Roemer FW
Imaging in osteoarthritis.
Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2008 34(3):645-87 (2008)

Augat P, Eckstein F
Quantitative imaging of musculoskeletal tissue.
Ann Rev Biomed Eng. 10:369-90 (2008)

Eckstein F, Mosher T, Hunter D
Imaging of knee osteoarthritis: data beyond the beauty.
Current Opinion Rheumatol. 19(5):435-443 (2007)

Eckstein F
Future directions in quantitative imaging of osteoarthritis.
European Musculoskeletal Review,Touch Briefings: London (2007)

Eckstein F
Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging of osteoarthritis.
Future Medicine 1 (6): 699-715 (2006)

Eckstein F, Burstein D, Link TM
Quantitative MRI of cartilage and bone: degenerative changes in osteoarthritis.
NMR in Biomedicine 19 (7): 822-854 (2006)

Eckstein F, Hudelmaier M, Putz R
The effects of exercise on human articular cartilage.
Journal of Anatomy 208(4): 491-512 (2006)

Eckstein F, Cicuttini F, Raynauld J-P, Waterton J C, Peterfy C
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of articular cartilage in knee osteoarthritis (OA): morphological assessment.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 14 Suppl A: A46-75 (2006)

Peterfy CG, Gold G, Eckstein F, Cicuttini F, Dardzinski B, Stevens R
MRI protocols for whole-organ assessment of the knee in osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 14 Suppl A:A95-111 (2006)

Glüer CC, Barkmann R, Hahn HK, Majumdar S, Eckstein F, Nickelsen TN, Bolte H, Dicken V, Heller M
Parametric biomedical imaging--what defines the quality of quantitative radiological approaches?
Röfo 178(12):1187-201 (2006)

Ateshian G, Eckstein F
Quantitative anatomy of diarthrodial joint articular layers.
In: Basic Orthopaedic Biomechanics and Mechano-Biology, 3rd edition.
Lippincott; Raven; Philadelphia, New York (2005)

Gray ML, Eckstein F, Peterfy C, Dahlberg L, Kim YJ, Sorensen AG, Smith RL
Toward imaging biomarkers for osteoarthritis.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 427 (Suppl): S175-181 (2004)

Eckstein F, Glaser C
Measuring cartilage morphology with quantitative magnetic resonance imaging.
Seminars Musculoskeletal Radiology 8: 329-353 (2004)

Eckstein F
Noninvasive study of human cartilage structure by MRI.
Methods Mol Med. 101:191-218 (2004)

Eckstein F, Englmeier K-H, Reiser M, Putz R
In vivo morphometry and functional analysis of human articular cartilage with quantitative magnetic resonance imaging? From image to data, from data to theory.
Anatomy and Embryology 203: 147-173 (2001)

Eckstein F, Jacobs C, Merz B
Effects of joint incongruity on articular pressure distribution and subchondral bone remodelling.
Advances in Anatomy, Embryology and Cell Biology Vol. 152 (2000)

> Original Articles

> Cartilage

Wirth W, Eckstein F, Culvenor AG, Hudelmaier MI, Stefan Lohmander L, Frobell RB.
Early anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction does not affect 5 year change in knee cartilage thickness: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.
Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2021. Online ahead of print.

Wisser A, Lapper A, Roemer F, Fuerst D, Maschek S, Wirth W, Duda GN, Eckstein F.
Longitudinal Change in Knee Cartilage Thickness and Function in Subjects with and without MRI-Diagnosed Cartilage Damage.
Cartilage. 2020. Online ahead of print.

Eckstein F, Chaudhari AS, Fuerst D, Gaisberger M, Kemnitz J, Baumgartner CF, Konukoglu E, Hunter DJ, Wirth W.
A Deep Learning Automated Segmentation Algorithm Accurately Detects Differences in Longitudinal Cartilage Thickness Loss - Data from the FNIH Biomarkers Study of the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020. Online ahead of print.

Wirth W, Eckstein F, Kemnitz J, Baumgartner CF, Konukoglu E, Fuerst D, Chaudhari AS.
Accuracy and longitudinal reproducibility of quantitative femorotibial cartilage measures derived from automated U-Net-based segmentation of two different MRI contrasts: data from the osteoarthritis initiative healthy reference cohort.
MAGMA. 2020. Online ahead of print.

Hochberg MC, Guermazi A, Guehring H, Aydemir A, Wax S, Fleuranceau-Morel P, Reinstrup Bihlet A, Byrjalsen I, Ragnar Andersen J, Eckstein F.
Effect of Intra-Articular Sprifermin vs Placebo on Femorotibial Joint Cartilage Thickness in Patients With Osteoarthritis: The FORWARD Randomized Clinical Trial
JAMA. 2019 Oct 8;322(14):1360-1370.

Eckstein F, Maschek S, Roemer FW, Duda GN, Sharma L, Wirth W
Cartilage loss in radiographically normal knees depends on radiographic status of the contralateral knee - data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2019 Feb;27(2):273-277

Deveza LA, Downie A, Tamez-Peña JG, Eckstein F, Van Spil WE, Hunter DJ
Trajectories of femorotibial cartilage thickness among persons with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis: development of a prediction model to identify progressors.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. 2019 Feb;27(2):257-265.

Meng T, Venn A, Eckstein F, Wirth W, Cicuttini F, March L, Dwyer T, Cross M, Laslett LL, Jones G, Ding C, Antony B
Association of adiposity measures in childhood and adulthood with knee cartilage thickness, volume and bone area in young adults.
International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders 2019 Jul;43(7):1411-1421.

Bricca A, Wirth W, Juhl CB, Kemnitz J, Hunter DJ, Kwoh CK, Eckstein F, Culvenor A
Moderate Physical Activity and Prevention of Cartilage Loss in People With Knee Osteoarthritis: Data From the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Arthritis Care and Research 2019 Feb;71(2):218-226.

Jafarzadeh SR, Clancy M, Li JS, Apovian CM, Guermazi A, Eckstein F, Felson DT
Changes in the structural features of osteoarthritis in a year of weight loss.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 26(6):775-782 (2018)

Chaudhari AS, Black MS, Eijgenraam S, Wirth W, Maschek S, Sveinsson B, Eckstein F, Oei EHG, Gold GE, Hargreaves BA
Five-minute knee MRI for simultaneous morphometry and T(2) relaxometry of cartilage and meniscus and for semiquantitative radiological assessment using double-echo in steady-state at 3T.
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 47(5):1328-1341 (2018)

Wirth W, Hunter DJ, Nevitt MC, Sharma L, Kwoh CK, Ladel C, Eckstein F
Predictive and concurrent validity of cartilage thickness change as a marker of knee osteoarthritis progression: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 25(12): 2063-2071 (2017)

Buck RJ, Le Graverand MH, Wirth W, Eckstein F
Choice of knee cartilage thickness change metric for different treatment goals in efficacy studies.
Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism 46(4):404-410 (2017)

van der Woude JAD, Wiegant K, van Roermund PM, Intema F, Custers RJH, Eckstein F, van Laar JM, Mastbergen SC, Lafeber FPJG
Five-year follow-up of knee joint distraction: clinical benefit and cartilaginous tissue repair in an open uncontrolled prospective study.
Cartilage 8(3):263-271 (2017)

Wirth W, Maschek S, Eckstein F
Sex- and age-dependence of region- and layer-specific knee cartilage composition (spin-spin-relaxation time) in healthy reference subjects.
Annals of Anatomy 210:1-8 (2017)

Moyer R, Wirth W, Eckstein F
Longitudinal changes in MRI-based measures of femorotibial cartilage thickness as a function of alignment and obesity data from the OAI.
Arthritis Care and Research 69(7):959-965 (2017)

Wirth W, Maschek S, Roemer FW, Eckstein F
Layer-specific femorotibial cartilage T2 relaxation time in knees with and without early knee osteoarthritis:Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI).
Scientific Reports 6:34202 (2016)

Kwee RM, Wirth W, Hafezi-Nejad N, Zikria BA, Guermazi A, Demehri S
Role of physical activity in cartilage damage progression of subjects with baseline full-thickness cartilage defects in medial tibiofemoral compartment: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 24(11):1898-1904 (2016)

Roemer FW, Aydemir A, Lohmander S, Crema MD, Marra MD, Muurahainen N, Felson DT, Eckstein F, Guermazi A
Structural effects of sprifermin in knee osteoarthritis: a post-hoc analysis on cartilage and non-cartilaginous tissue alterations in a randomized controlled trial.
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 17:267 (2016)

van der Woude JA, van Heerwaarden RJ, Spruijt S, Eckstein F, Maschek S, van Roermund PM, Custers RJ, van Spil WE, Mastbergen SC, Lafeber FP
Six weeks of continuous joint distraction appears sufficient for clinical benefit and cartilaginous tissue repair in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
Knee 23(5):785-791(2016)

Roemer FW, Kwoh CK, Hannon MJ, Hunter DJ, Eckstein F, Grago J, Boudreau RM, Englund M, Guermazi
A Partial meniscectomy is associated with increased risk of incident radiographic osteoarthritis and worsening cartilage damage in the following year.
European Radiology 27(1):404-413 (2016)

Moyer R, Wirth W, Duryea J, Eckstein F
Anatomical alignment, but not goniometry, predicts femorotibial cartilage loss as well as mechanical alignment.
Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 24(2):254-261 (2016)

Eckstein F, Boudreau R, Wang Z, Hannon MJ, Duryea J, Wirth W, Cotofana S, Guermazi A, Roemer F, Nevitt M, John MR, Ladel C, Sharma L, Hunter DJ, Kwoh CK; OAI Investigators
Comparison of radiographic joint space width and magnetic resonance imaging for prediction of knee replacement: A longitudinal case-control study from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
European Radiology 26(6):1942-1951(2016)

Huang C, Shan L, Charles C, Wirth W, Niethammer M, Zhu H
Diseased region detection of longitudinal knee magnetic resonance imaging data.
IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging 34:1914-1912 (2015)

Eckstein F, Collins JE, Nevitt MC, Lynch JA, Kraus V, Katz JN, Losina E, Wirth W, Guermazi A, Roemer FW, Hunter DJ; FNIH OA Biomarkers Consortium
Cartilage thickness change as an imaging biomarker of knee osteoarthritis progression - data from the OA biomarkers consortium.
Arthritis and Rheumatology 67: 3184-3189 (2015)

Ried JS, Flechsenhar K, Bartnik E, Crowther D, Dietrich A, Eckstein F
Sample size calculations for detecting DMOAD effects on knee replacement in clinical trials - data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Arthritis and Rheumatology 67:3174-3183 (2015)

> Meniscus

Quantitative Analysis

Roth M, Emmanuel K, Wirth W, Kwoh CK, Hunter DJ, Eckstein F
Sensitivity to change and association of three-dimensional meniscal measures with radiographic joint space width loss in rapid clinical progression of knee osteoarthritis.
European Radiology 28(5):1844-1853 (2018)

Roth M, Wirth W, Emmanuel K, Culvenor AG, Eckstein F
The contribution of 3D quantitative meniscal and cartilage measures to variation in normal radiographic joint space width - Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative healthy reference cohort
European Journal of Radiology 87:90-98 (2017)

Emmanuel K, Quinn E, Niu J, Guermazi A, Roemer F, Wirth W, Eckstein F, Felson D
Quantitative measures of meniscus extrusion predict incident radiographic knee osteoarthritis - data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 24 (2):262-269 (2016)

Bloecker K, Wirth W, Guermazi A, Hunter DJ, Resch H, Hochreiter J, Eckstein F
Medial meniscal extrusion relates to cartilage loss in specific femorotibial subregions- data from the osteoarthritis initiative.
Arthritis Care and Research 67:1545-1522 (2015)

Bloecker K, Wirth W, Guermazi A, Hitzl W, Hunter DJ, Eckstein F
Longitudinal change in quantitative meniscus measurements in knee osteoarthritis-data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
European Radiology 25:2960-2968 (2015)

Bruns K, Svensson F, Turkiewicz A, Wirth W, Guermazi A, Eckstein F, Englund M
Meniscus body position and its change over four years in asymptomatic adults: a cohort study using data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI).
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 15:32 (2014)

Bloecker K, Guermazi A, Wirth W, Kwoh CK, Resch H, Hunter DJ, Eckstein F;
for the OAI investigators Correlation of semiquantitative vs quantitative MRI meniscus measures in osteoarthritic knees: results from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Skeletal Radiology 43:227-232 (2014)

Bloecker K, Wirth W, Hunter DJ, Duryea J, Guermazi A, Kwoh CK, Resch H, Eckstein F
Contribution of regional 3D meniscus and cartilage morphometry by MRI to joint space width in fixed flexion knee radiography - A between-knee comparison in subjects with unilateral joint space narrowing.
European Journal of Radiology 82:e832-839 (2013)

Wenger A, Wirth W, Hudelmaier M, Noebauer-Huhmann I, Trattnig S, Bloecker K, Frobell RB, Kwoh K, Eckstein F, Englund M
Meniscus body position, size and shape in persons with and without radiographic knee osteoarthritis: Quantitative analyses of knee MRIs from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Arthritis and Rheumatism 65:1804-1811(2013)

Bloecker K, Guermazi A, Wirth W, Benichou O, Kwoh CK, Hunter DJ, Englund M, Resch H, Eckstein F
Tibial coverage, meniscus position, size and damage in knees discordant for joint space narrowing - data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 21:419-427 (2013)

Wenger A, Englund M, Wirth W, Hudelmaier M, Kwoh K, Eckstein F; for the OAI Investigators.
Relationship of 3D meniscal morphology and position with knee pain in subjects with knee osteoarthritis: a pilot study.
European Radiology 22:211-220 (2012)

Siorpaes K, Wenger A, Bloecker K, Wirth W, Hudelmaier M, Eckstein F
Interobserver reproducibility of quantitative meniscus analysis using coronal multiplanar DESS and IWTSE MR imaging.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 67:1419-1426 (2012)

Bloecker K, Wirth W, Hudelmaier M, Burgkart R, Frobell R, Eckstein F
Morphometric differences between the medial and lateral meniscus in healthy men ? A three-dimensional analysis using magnetic resonance imaging.
Cells Tissues Organs 195:353-364 (2012)

Bloecker K, Englund M, Wirth W, Hudelmaier M, Burgkart R, Frobell RB, Eckstein F
Size and position of the healthy meniscus, and its correlation with sex, height, weight, and bone area- a cross-sectional study.
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 12:248 (2011)

Wirth W, Frobell RB, Souza RB, Li X, Wyman BT, Le Graverand MP, Link TM, Majumdar S, Eckstein F
A three-dimensional quantitative method to measure meniscus shape, position, and signal intensity using MR images: a pilot study and preliminary results in knee osteoarthritis.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 63(5):1162-71 (2010)

Semiquantitative Analysis

Chang A, Moisio K, Chmiel JS, Eckstein F, Guermazi A, Almagor O, Cahue S, Wirth W, Prasad P, Sharma L
Subregional effects of meniscal tears on cartilage loss over 2 years in knee osteoarthritis.
Annals of Rheumatic Diseases 70(1): 74-9 (2011)

Vanwanseele B, Eckstein F, Smith RM, Lange AK, Foroughi N, Baker MK, Shnier R, Fiatarone Singh MA
The relationship between knee adduction moment and cartilage and meniscus morphology in women with osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 18(7):894-901 (2010)

Crema MD, Guermazi A, Li L, Nogueira-Barbosa MH, Marra MD, Roemer FW, Eckstein F, Hellio Le Graverand MP, Wyman BT, Hunter DJ
The association of prevalent medial meniscal pathology with cartilage loss in the medial tibiofemoral compartment over a 2-year period.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 18(3):336-43 (2010)

Hunter DJ, Buck R, Vignon E, Eckstein F, Brandt K, Mazzuca SA, Wyman BT, Otterness I, Hellio Le Graverand MP
Relation of regional articular cartilage morphometry and meniscal position by MRI joint space width in knee radiographs.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 17(9):1170-6 (2009)

Sharma L, Eckstein F, Song J, Guermazi A, Prasad P, Kapoor D, Cahue S, Marshall M, Hudelmaier M, Dunlop D
Relationship of meniscal damage, meniscal extrusion, malalignment, and joint laxity to subsequent cartilage loss in osteoarthritic knees.
Arthritis and Rheumatism 58:1716-26 (2008)

> Muscle and Adipose Tissue

Kemnitz J, Wirth W, Eckstein F, Culvenor AG
The role of thigh muscle and adipose tissue in knee osteoarthritis progression in women: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 26(9):1190-1195 (2018)

Culvenor AG, Felson DT, Wirth W, Dannhauer T, Eckstein F
Is local or central adiposity more strongly associated with incident knee osteoarthritis than the body mass index in men or women?
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 26(8):1033-1037(2018)

Steidle-Kloc E, Dannhauer T, Wirth W, Eckstein F
Responsiveness of infrapatellar fat pad volume change to body weight loss or gain: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Cells Tissues Organs 205(1):53-62 (2018)

Culvenor AG, Hamler FC, Kemnitz J, Wirth W, Eckstein F
Brief report: Loss of muscle strength prior to knee replacement: a question of anatomic cross-sectional area or specific strength?
Arthritis and Rheumatology 70(2):222-229 (2018)

Steidle-Kloc E, Culvenor AG, Dörrenberg J, Wirth W, Ruhdorfer A, Eckstein F
Relationship between knee pain and infra-patellar fat pad morphology - A within- and between-person analysis from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Arthritis Care and Research 70(4):550-557 (2018)

Kemnitz J, Wirth W, Eckstein F, Ruhdorfer A, Culvenor AG
Longitudinal change in thigh muscle strength prior to and concurrent with symptomatic and radiographic knee osteoarthritis progression: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 25(10):1633-1640 (2017)

Burda B, Steidle-Kloc E, Dannhauer T, Wirth W, Ruhdorfer A, Eckstein F
Variance in infra-patellar fat pad volume: Does the body mass index matter? - Data from osteoarthritis initiative participants without symptoms or signs of knee disease.
Annals of Anatomy 213:19-24 (2017)

Kemnitz J, Eckstein F, Culvenor AG, Ruhdorfer A, Dannhauer T, Ring-Dimitriou S, Sänger AM, Wirth W
Validation of an active shape model-based semi-automated segmentation algorithm for the analysis of thigh muscle and adipose tissuecross-sectional areas.
MAGMA 30(5):489-503 (2017)

Pogacnik Murillo AL, Eckstein F, Wirth W, Beavers D, Loeser RF, Nicklas BJ, Mihalko SL, Miller GD, Hunter DJ, Messier SP
Impact of diet and/or exercise intervention on infrapatellar fat pad morphology: secondary analysis from the intensive diet and exercise for Arthritis (IDEA) Trial.
Cells Tissues Organs 203(4):258-266 (2017)

Ruhdorfer A, Haniel F, Petersohn T, Dörrenberg J, Wirth W, Dannhauer T, Hunter DJ, Eckstein F
Between-group differences in infra-patellar fat pad size and signal in symptomatic and radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis vs non-progressive controls and healthy knees - data from the FNIH Biomarkers Consortium Study and the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 25(7):1114-1121 (2017)

Culvenor AG, Boeth H, Diederichs G, Wirth W, Duda G, Eckstein F
Longitudinal bone, muscle and adipose tissue changes in physically active subjects - sex differences during adolescence and maturity.
Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions 16(3): 237-246 (2016)

Steidle-Kloc E, Wirth W, Ruhdorfer A, Dannhauer T, Eckstein F
Intra- and inter-observer reliability of quantitative analysis of the infra-patellar fat pad and comparison between fat- and non-fat-suppressed imaging-Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Annals of Anatomy 204:29-35 (2016)

Ruhdorfer A, Wirth W, Dannhauer T, Eckstein F
Longitudinal (4 year) change of thigh muscle and adipose tissue distribution in chronically painful vs painless knees - data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 23: 1348-1356 (2015)

Dannhauer T, Ruhdorfer A, Wirth W, Eckstein F
Quantitative relationship of thigh adipose tissue with pain, radiographic status, and progression of knee osteoarthritis: longitudinal findings from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Investigative Radiology 50:268-274 (2015)

Diepold J, Ruhdorfer A, Dannhauer T, Wirth W, Steidle E, Eckstein F
Sex-differences of the healthy infra-patellar (Hoffa) fat pad in relation to intermuscular and subcutaneous fat content - Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative
Annals of Anatomy 200:30-36 (2015)

Ruhdorfer A, Dannhauer T, Wirth W, Cotofana S, Roemer F, Nevitt M, Eckstein F, for the OAI investigators
Thigh muscle cross-sectional areas and strength in knees with early vs knees without radiographic knee osteoarthritis: a between-knee, within-person comparison.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 22:1634-1638 (2014)

Sattler M, Dannhauer T, Ring-Dimitriou S, Sänger AM, Wirth W, Hudelmaier M, Eckstein F
Relative distribution of quadriceps head anatomical cross-sectional areas and volumes - sensitivity to pain and to training intervention.
Annals of Anatomy 196:464-470 (2014)

Ruhdorfer A, Wirth W, Hitzl W, Nevitt M, Eckstein F; for the OAI investigators
Thigh muscle strength is associated with knee symptoms but not with radiographic disease stage of osteoarthritis - data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Arthritis Care and Research (Hoboken) 66:1344-1353 (2014)

Dannhauer T, Sattler M, Wirth W, Hunter DJ, Kwoh CK, Eckstein F
Longitudinal sensitivity to change of MRI-based muscle cross-sectional area versus isometric strength analysis in osteoarthritic knees with and without structural progression: pilot data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine 27:339-347 (2014)

Eckstein F, Hitzl W, Duryea J, Kent Kwoh C, Wirth W; OAI investigators
Baseline and longitudinal change in isometric muscle strength prior to radiographic progression in osteoarthritic and pre-osteoarthritic knees - data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 21:682-690 (2013)

Ruhdorfer A, Dannhauer T, Wirth W, Hitzl W, Kwoh CK, Guermazi A, Hunter DJ, Benichou O, Eckstein F
Thigh muscle cross-sectional areas and strength in advanced versus early painful osteoarthritis-An exploratory between-knee, within-person comparison in osteoarthritis initiative participants.
Arthritis Care and Research 65:1034-1042 (2013)

Sattler M, Dannhauer T, Hudelmaier M, Wirth W, Sänger AM, Kwoh CK, Hunter DJ, Eckstein F
Side differences of thigh muscle cross-sectional areas and maximal isometric muscle force in bilateral knees with the same radiographic disease stage, but unilateral frequent pain - Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 20:532-540 (2012)

Hudelmaier M, Wirth W, Himmer M, Ring-Dimitriou S, Sänger A, Eckstein F
Effect of exercise intervention on thigh muscle volume and anatomical cross-sectional areas-Quantitative assessment using MRI.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 64:1713-1720 (2010)

Cotofana S, Hudelmaier M, Wirth W, Himmer M, Ring-Dimitriou S, Sänger AM, Eckstein F
Correlation between single-slice muscle anatomical cross-sectional area and muscle volume in thigh extensors, flexors and adductors of perimenopausal women.
European Journal of Applied Physiology 110:91-79 (2010)

Gratzke C, Hudelmaier M, Hitzl W, Glaser C, Eckstein F
Knee cartilage morphologic characteristics and muscle status of professional weight lifters and sprinters: a magnetic resonance imaging study.
American Journal of Sports Medicine 35:1346-1353 (2007)

Hudelmaier M, Glaser C, Hausschild A, Burgkart R, Eckstein F
Effects of joint unloading and reloading on human cartilage morphology and function, muscle cross-sectional areas, and bone density - a quantitative case report.
Journal of Musculoskeletal Neuronal Interaction: 6: 284-290 (2006)

Hudelmaier M, Glaser C, Hohe J, Englmeier KH, Reiser M, Putz R, Eckstein F
Correlation of knee joint cartilage morphology with muscle cross-sectional areas versus anthropometric variables.
Anatomical Record 270: 175-184 (2003)

> Bone

Fürst D, Senck S, Hollensteiner M, Esterer B, Augat P, Eckstein F, Schrempf A
Characterization of synthetic foam structures used to manufacture artificial vertebral trabecular bone
Materials Science and Engineering: C Materials for Biological Applications 76:1103-1111 (2017)

Hudelmaier M, Wirth W
Differences in subchondral bone size after one year in osteoarthritic and healthy knees.
Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 24(2):623-630 (2016)

Pang J, Driban JB, Destenaves G, Miller E, Lo GH, Ward RJ, Price LL, Lynch JA, Eaton CB, Eckstein F, McAlindon TE
Quantification of bone marrow lesion volume and volume change using semi-automated segmentation: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative
BMC Musculoskeletal Disordorders 14:3 (2013)

Guermazi A, Hunter DJ, Li L, Benichou O, Eckstein F, Kwoh CK, Nevitt M, Hayashi D
Different thresholds for detecting osteophytes and joint space narrowing exist between the site investigators and the centralized reader in a multicenter knee osteoarthritis study-data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Skeletal Radiology 41:179-186 (2012)

Eckstein F, Hudelmaier M, Cahue S, Marshall M, Sharma L
Medial-to-lateral ratio of tibiofemoral subchondral bone area is adapted to alignment and mechanical load.
Calcified Tissue International 84(3): 186-94 (2009)

> Synovium

Roemer FW, Kwoh CK, Hannon MJ, Hunter DJ, Eckstein F, Fujii T, Boudreau RM, Guermazi A
What Comes First? Multitissue Involvement Leading to Radiographic Osteoarthritis: Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Trajectory Analysis Over Four Years in the Osteoarthritis Initiative.
Arthritis and Rheumatology 67:2085-2096 (2015)

Fotinos-Hoyer AK, Guermazi A, Jara H, Eckstein F, Ozonoff A, Khard H, Norbash A, Bohndorf K, Roemer FW
Assessment of synovitis in the osteoarthritic knee: Comparison between manual segmentation, semiautomated segmentation, and semiquantitative assessment using contrast-enhanced fat-suppressed T(1)-weighted MRI.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 64(2):604-9 (2010)

> Animal Models

Wachsmuth L, Lindhorst E, Wrubel S, Hadzhiyski H, Hudelmaier M, Eckstein F, Chrubasik S
Micro-morphometrical assessment of the effect of harpagophytum procumbens extract on articular cartilage in rabbits with experimental osteoarthritis using magnetic resonance imging.
Phytotherapy Research 25:1133-1140 (2011)

> PubMed Search

PubMed Search

SAB & PARTNERS

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

Neal K. Bangerter > CV

Neal Bangerter is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Imperial College London. His current research interests include the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to a variety of problems in medical imaging and healthcare, and the development of novel medical imaging technologies with a particular focus on musculoskeletal applications.

In addition to his research and teaching interests, Neal is passionate about innovation/entrepreneurship and intellectual property strategy. He regularly consults and advises in these areas. He has deep technical expertise in healthcare, medical imaging, machine learning, big data, signal processing, and software development, and significant management and strategy experience from his work in industry.

Neal holds a BA with honors in Physics from UC-Berkeley and a Master’s and PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. He has held permanent and visiting positions at Oxford University, INSEAD, Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Microsoft, and management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

Mikael Boesen > CV

Name:	Mikael Ploug Boesen, MD, Ph.D.
Born:	May 27th 1971 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Work:	Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Deptof Radiology, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark

2017	Professor in musculoskeletal radiology at Copenhagen University and Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital
2015	Associate Professor in Radiology at Copenhagen University, Denmark
2014	Senior Consultant, head of musculoskeletal imaging and research, Dept. of Radiology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital
2009-2013	Head of MSK MRI research, Dept. of Radiology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg
2013	Specialist in Radiology, Consultant in Radiology, Dept. of Radiology Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg
2008	PhD degree entitled: “Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Joints Following Intra-articular Treatment and Procedures in Arthritis”
1999	Medical school graduation (Cand. Med.), University of Copenhagen

I defended my PhD thesis in June 2008, entitled "Magnetic resonance imaging of joints following intra-articular treatment in arthritis" from the Parker Institute and Aalborg University. Throughout my radiology career I have pursued my special interest in advanced imaging of patients with various musculoskeletal conditions. My group and I have, specialised in quantification of cartilage changes as well as, soft tissue and bone inflammation in the joints with advanced imaging. We also serve as European reference centre for studies using a tilting open dedicated MRI unite – G-scan from ESAOTE, looking at the mechanical changes in the soft tissue, bone and cartilage in the spine, knee joints and feet going from supine to standing position.

Since 2008 I have been chairman of the IMAGINE group investigating DCE-MRI in patients with inflammatory arthritis, and I have co-organised several national and international imaging symposia’s and imaging courses, and have served as radiological specialist in the development of the national and international guidelines for imaging of degenerative and inflammatory joint and spinal diseases. I am an invited associate board member of the of the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis, MUSKRAD, ESSR, DRS, ESR, EULAR,OARSI, DIMS and I am part of the clinical and scientific advisory board of Image Analysis Group, London UK since 2010, where I have served as chairman until January 2019. Recently I have joined the scientific advisory board member of Chondrometrics, GmbH, Ainring, Germany in February 2019.

Management experience

Jan 2014-	Senior Consultant, head of musculoskeletal imaging and research, Dept. of Radiology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen Denmark
2010-2018	Head of clinical and research advisory board Image Analysis Group (IAG), London, UK
2007-	Head of MSK MRI research, Dept. of Radiology, and Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen Denmark

Supervised or co-supervised, 4 pre-graduate students, 15 national PhD’s (6 as main supervisor) and 2 international PhD’s as well as 2 postdocs

Link to complete list of publications: Research gate profile, Google Scholar

Rainer Burgkart > CV

Rainer Burgkart was born in Munich, Germany. He studied Medicine in Essen and Münster and graduated in 1988. From 1989 to 1991 Rainer Burgkart was resident in the Clinic for Orthopaedics and Sportorthopaedics at the Klinikum r.d. Isar der Technical University Munich (TUM). From 1991 to 1992 he received a research fellowship in the Orthopaedic Clinic, Duke University/Durham, N.C., USA (Direktor: Prof. Dr. J. Urbaniak). After continuing residency in 1992 in Clinic for Orthopaedics and Sportorthopaedics at the Klinikum r.d. Isar he completed his board exams in Juli 1997. Since then he worked as a senior attending (Oberarzt) at this Clinic and received a second research fellowship and joined the research group of Prof. Farsh Guilak from 1998 to 1999 in the Orthopaedic Clinic, Duke University/Durham, N.C., USA.

Since 2000 Rainer Burgkart is Head of Research and Education of the Clinic for Orthopaedics and Sportorthopaedics, Klinikum rd Isar, TUM. He completed his “Habilitation” in 2007 and since February 2007 announced as an Associate Professor.

His research focus are topics as MRT cartilage characterization and Ultrasound Imaging including AI-based analytic methods, Endoprostheses, Biofunctional Implant Surfaces in respect to Bone Ingrowth and Antibacterial Properties (in vitro (cell lab) and in vivo testing (animal), Computer Assisted Surgery and Robotics, Implant Testing and Implant Optimization, Biomechanics of Macro- and Micro- Level (e.g. subcellular Biomechanics in Tissue Culture) as well as Simulators for Medical Education (especially haptic interfaces), new Training Systems for Musculoskelettal Exercise, Virtual Operation Planning, Modelling and AI.

Rainer Burgkart was responsible Congress Secretary of the German Orthopaedic Society (DGOOC) for organizing the first common German Congress of Orthopaedic and Traumatology (DKOU) in Berlin in 2005. In addition he was involved in the organisation of several congress as the 5th World Congress of Biomechanics in 2006 in Munich and the Congress of the German Surgery Society in Berlin in 2010. He was the founding member of the German “Netzwerk für Regenerative Medizin” and the “Netzwerk für Muskuloskelettale Biomechanik”. From 2006 until 2019 he was a Board member of DFG- Excellenz-Initiative TUM International Graduate School of Science and Engineering (IGSSE) and since 2007 he is a permanent Board member of the „Deutscher DIN Normenausschuss DIN NA 027-02-15 AA - Endoprothetik und Osteosynthese".

As a selection of scientific awards Rainer Burgkart received e.g. for cartilage analysis the Göran Selvik Award of European Orthopaedic Research Society 1999 (for advanced computer 3D volumetry methods in „MRI-based assessment of cartilage loss in severe osteoarthritis- accuracy, precision and diagnostic value“) and the Investigator Award des V. Münchener Symposium in 2015 (for “Kartographie des Erholungsverhaltens und der Steifigkeit des artikulären Knorpels im adulten, ovinen Kniegelenk) and for roboter-based new teaching simulators e.g. the ISPO Academic Challenge Award 2003, “The Best of the Best“- Award of the Bayerische Gesellschaft für Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde e.V. (BGGF) 2004, the EU Robotics Technology Transfer Award 2011, and in the field of tissue characterization the Winner of the Bionikwettbewerb of TUM 2008 for the project „Hard-Soft Interfaces in Biology and Technical Applications – e.g. the tendon-bone interface“, the Karl-Heinz-Höhne 1. Prize MedVis-Award 2010 for „Innovative Visualizing of Implant Planning in Orthopedics” and as Teaching Award e.g. the Excellence Award of "Best Academic Teacher of 2015 in TUM Medicine".

Akshay Chaudhari > CV

Akshay Chaudhari is a Research Scientist at the Department of Radiology at Stanford University. Akshay graduated with a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Stanford University in 2017 and B.S. from the University of California San Diego in 2012. He is interested intertwining medical imaging and computer science to develop biomedical imaging methodologies to better under physiology and to enhance the efficacy and efficiency of current diagnostic techniques. Akshay is currently combining deep learning and computer vision methods to advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data acquisition and signal processing techniques for generating rapid, quantitative and morphological magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. He seeks to develop such MR imaging techniques and implement them for diagnostic clinical imaging and in research studies evaluating early disease progression.

Akshay is experienced with hardware and software start-up companies. He previously was a consulting Technology and Application Specialist for Skope Magnetic Resonance Technologies and is currently a Deep Learning Research Scientist at Subtle Medical and also a scientific advisor for Brain Key.

LinkedIn Profile
Google Scholar Profile

Chris Ladel > CV

Chris Ladel is a seasoned, forward-thinking, and highly skilled project manager and consultant with broad experience in several areas of pharmaceutical development. He was originally trained as an immunologist in preclinical and clinical investigations in different disease areas including infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and osteoarthritis. Following post-doctoral fellowship, he gained several years of industry experience with pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoWellcome/GSK, Bayer, MerckSerono/Merck KGaA, where he was primarily involved in leading teams on strategy generation and in-licensing/due-diligence activities; he also represented the companies in national and international consortia, and outsourced activities for validation and qualification of biomarkers.

The clinical research experience focus over the last two decades has been on the development of therapies in immunology, rheumatology, and osteoarthritis, with particular interest in personalized medicine and stratification approaches in clinical development, using biomarkers and imaging techniques. He has been involved in several patents and publications on this topic and continue to seek out opportunities that require development of clinical strategies in these areas.

Chris is also skilled in collaboration and project management. At Merck, he was responsible for international collaborations in non-clinical as well as clinical settings via different public-private initiatives with a focus on qualification and validation of biomarkers. Additionally, Chris has served as project lead in several endeavors from early research up to phase II clinical trials with a history of successful clinical development. As a core team member of several programs with focus on translational aspects and clinical biomarker strategies, he also has been involved in operational activities, including budget planning for programs and portfolios in defined therapeutic areas. Further, Chris is experienced in consultancy, as he has provided consultant services for several companies at early clinical stages to develop strategies, including translational approaches for different entities.

Linkedin Profile
Research Gate

Ali Mobasheri > CV

Ali Mobasheri is Professor of Musculoskeletal Biology in the Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oulu in Finland. He also holds the position of Chief Researcher and International Adviser in the State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine in Vilnius, Lithuania. He is the Immediate Past President of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO). In addition, he serves as “Collaborateur Scientifique de l’Université de Liège” and Senior Strategic Advisor to the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Public Health Aspects of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium. He is a member of the International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society (ICRS) and serves on the translational science committee of ICRS.

Ali has held visiting professorships at Harvard University in Boston (USA), University Medical Centre Utrecht (Netherlands) and King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). He is currently a Visiting Professor at Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. His current research focuses on cartilage biology, specifically cellular metabolism, ion channel physiology and biomarkers of osteoarthritis. He is ranked as one of the top 10 leading experts in the world on “osteoarthritis” and “cartilage” on expertscape.com. Ali already leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers in Vilnius and is building a new team of researchers at the University of Oulu. His work is currently funded by the Academy of Finland, The Lithuanian Research Council, and several funding mechanisms of the European Commission (FP7, Horizon Europe, COST Action, EuroNanoMed, Innovative Medicines Initiative).

Current Positions:

Professor of Musculoskeletal Biology in the Fibrobesity Research Theme and the Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Aapistie 5 A, FIN-90230 Oulu, Finland
Chief Researcher and International Advisor, State Research Institute C entre for Innovative Medicine, Santariskiu 5, 08661 Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania
Immediate Past President, Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) and Member of the OARSI Board of Directors
Visiting Professor, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Recent Visiting Positions:

Associate Professor, Departments of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands (March 2020 to October 2021)
Visiting Professor, Harvard University, Boston, USA (Non-Stipendiary position) (March 2020 to March 2021)
Distinguished Adjunct Professor (Thomson ISI Highly Cited Program), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (February 2013 to May 2016)

Tom Turmezei > CV

Tom Turmezei has been a Consultant Radiologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, UK, since 2017 and has over a decade of specialist diagnostic and interventional experience in a wide range of musculoskeletal disorders, including joint disease. Having graduated from the University of Cambridge, UK, in 1999 (MA) and then Oxford, UK, in 2002 (BMBCh), he trained in Radiology at Norwich, Nottingham and Cambridge, followed by a musculoskeletal specialist fellowship at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, UK, from 2016 to 2017.

Promoted to Honorary Professor at the University of East Anglia, UK, in 2022, Tom spent three years between 2012 and 2016 in his Wellcome Trust clinical PhD fellowship with the Medical Imaging Group at the Cambridge University Engineering Department, UK. During this time he developed quantitative 3-D computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis techniques for joint space and articular cartilage evaluation. Having evolved these throughout the lower limb, his research has also included cartilage segmentation and multiparametric MRI at the knee joint.

Tom has twice received the Young Investigator Award from the International Workshop of Osteoarthritis Imaging (2016 & 2019), and is organising the 2025 meeting in Cambridge, UK, where he is also currently a visiting researcher in the University Departments of Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery.

Tom has worked in a number of international collaborations, including with the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (USA) and the AGES-Reykjavik cohort (Iceland), and has supervised postgraduate students at the University Medical Center Utrecht (Netherlands), the University of Oulu (Finland), and the University of Copenhagen (Denmark).

Tom is a Scientific Advisory Board member for the International Society of Osteoarthritis Imaging and founding chair of the Computed Tomography in Osteoarthritis (OCTA) Research group. With clinical and research experience in both osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, he has provided consultancy services to Curvebeam AI, Pfizer Inc., GSK plc, and Amgen Inc., and has oversight of imaging for more than 150 clinical trials in his current position as Imaging Research Lead in Norwich.

Tom is also an award-winning writer and editor of academic textbooks and is currently the Imaging Editor for Gray’s Anatomy (Elsevier). He is a long-standing advocate for the involvement of digital medical imaging in anatomy education. Having also been awarded the UK Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) Roentgen Professorship in 2020 for his academic achievements, Tom has since worked with the RCR and National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) to mentor radiologists and scientists aspiring in imaging research, creating and hosting the CRASH! Podcast in support of this mission.

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PARACELSUS MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

Chondrometrics GmbH has a close partnership with Paracelsus Medical University, PMU, a private medical school in Austria founded in 2003. By tight integration with the Institute of Anatomy and Musculoskeletal Research, Chondrometrics and its employees maintain their roots in academic research, providing the company with a strong basis for innovation and validation of quantitative imaging biomarkers. The University's namesake Paracelsus (1493-1541) was a visionary pioneer of modern medicine and organic chemistry, who lived in Salzburg for parts of his life.

BOSTON IMAGING CORE LAB

Chondrometrics GmbH also formed a strategic alliance and close collaboration with Boston Imaging Core Lab, BICL LLC in 2009, in order to broaden and advance the capability for offering imaging biomarker analysis to osteoarthritis researchers in academia and the pharmaceutical industry. BICL was founded in June 2007 by three Academic Radiologists from Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA and is a leading provider of semi-quantitative radiological reading services for joint tissues affected by osteoarthritis, based on advanced radiological scoring systems. BICL's president, Dr Ali Guermazi, also is Section Chief of Musculoskeletal Radiology at the Department of Radiology, Boston University School of Medicine.

Together, both companies offer a comprehensive portfolio of quantitative and semi-quantitative imaging biomarkers, to permit their clients to detect risk factors in clinical trials with higher efficiency and to accelerate the development of disease modifying drugs, particularly for osteoarthritis and other joint diseases.