Computational methods in RSA: Application to acetabular components of total hip replacements

RSA has proved itself an important tool in the quantitative and objective evaluation of joint replacements but is limited by its traditionally time consuming and labour intensive nature. These limitations have only recently been addressed and further work can be done to transform RSA from a strictly research tool to a more clinically applicable tool. The aim of this thesis is to further develop the RSA method with a focus on the hip joint and address some of the current limitations of RSA. First, a new marker finding method is proposed to automate part of the RSA process and reduce the analysis time. Second, a new position and pose determination method is proposed that eliminates the need to modify or obtain models of the implants. Finally, a method to determine the optimal placement of bone markers to minimise the error associated with coordinate transformations is outlined.