Ortho Kinematics, Inc.

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Ortho Kinematics, Inc. is a spine diagnostics company focused on spine motion analysis products and services.

While back and neck pain is widely prevalent in the population, it is notoriously difficult to pinpoint the exact anatomic cause of that pain using the current standard of care. This diagnostic gap can sometimes be the source of wasted health care dollars and ineffective treatments.

Our solution is the KineGraph VMA (Vertebral Motion Analyzer), an automated functional diagnostic test for the spine that uses fluoroscopy to capture the spine in motion, producing patient-specific graphs of the kinematics for each vertebral level. The KineGraph VMA could one day replace the current method of using static x-ray images of the bending spine to evaluate spine function.

Ortho Kinematics, Inc. is a company of seasoned entrepreneurs dedicated to improving the quality of spine diagnostics testing. Led by founder and CEO Adam Deitz, the leadership of Ortho Kinematics has over 50 years of experience in medical device technology and is determined to bring about a new era in spine diagnostics.

 

Technology Overview

The KineGraph VMA™ (Vertebral Motion Analyzer) is a functional diagnostic test for the spine that uses fluoroscopy to capture the spine in motion.

Key Features

  • Fast, non-invasive and radiation1 that has been reported in the medical literature to be comparable with the current standard of care (end-range x-rays)
  • Quantitative measurement and true functional test vs. fixed position end-range x-rays
  • Early testing indicates potentially improved diagnostic capabilities
  • Provides new insights for implant device design
  • Controlled patient positioning to reduce test variability

What it is

This technology for measuring the motion between the vertebrae outperforms the current end-range x-ray method by standardizing and automating each of its basic steps: (1) patient bending, (2) image acquisition, and (3) image analysis.

1 Patient Bending

Key to the KineGraph VMA innovation are the patented Motion Normalizer™ devices, which provide powered passive trunk bending in either a standing or lying down configuration.

2 Image
   Acquisition

As the Motion Normalizer bends the trunk through a set range of motion, hundreds of fluoro images of the spine are captured at standardized trunk bending angles.

3 Image Analysis

Image recognition software locates the vertebrae on each frame. The intervertebral angle (IVA) is plotted as a function of the degree of trunk bending, creating a KineGraph™ plot for each vertebral level.

A clear view of spine motion

The KineGraph VMA provides a rich set of in vivo biomechanical data for clinicians that may help them improve their diagnosis and patient selection. If clinicians are better able to diagnose and select patients, then there is potential for improved clinical outcomes for back and neck pain sufferers.