Reliability and validity of depth camera 3D scanning to determine thigh volume

ABSTRACT

Gross thigh volume is a key anthropometric variable to predict sport performance and health. Currently, it is either estimated by using the frustum method, which is prone to high inter-and intra-observer error, or using medical imaging, which is expensive and time consuming. Depth camera 3D-imaging systems offer a cheap alternative to measure thigh volume but no between-session reliability or comparison to medical imaging has been made. This experiment established between-session reliability and examined agreement with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Forty-eight male cyclists had their thigh volume measured by the depth camera system on two occasions to establish between-session reliability. A subset of 32 participants also had lower body MRIs, through which agreement between the depth camera system and MRI was established. The results showed low between-session variability (CV = 1.7%; Absolute Typical Error = 112 cm³) when measuring thigh volume using the depth camera system. The depth camera systematically measured gross thigh volume 32.6cm³ lower than MRI. These results suggest that depth camera 3D-imaging systems are reliable tools for measuring thigh volume and show good agreement with MRI scanners, providing a cheap and time-saving alternative to medical imaging analysis.

KEYWORDS:

• Kinanthropometry
• anthropometry
• 3D body scanning
• surface imaging

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the athletes who participated in this study and the radiographers of Alliance Medical as well as Tom Maden-Wilkinson for his help with the scans.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.