Evaluation of double-exposure holographic interferometry for biomechanical measurements in vitro.

Double-exposure holographic interferometry is a nondestructive testing technique for measuring displacement and strain in a test object. A standard hologram contains three-dimensional information about an object. However, the holographic interferogram has additional information, as a series of interference bands overlaid on the three-dimensional image of the object contains information about object deformation. Interferograms were produced for intact cadaveric femora and cadaveric femora with implanted titanium alloy and cobalt-chromium alloy femoral components. A force was applied to the femoral head to simulate single leg stance, and changes in specimen deformation were observed as additional incremental loads were applied. We have observed that the femur behaves as a bending beam and that the holographic technique allows the position of maximal deflection to be identified and the magnitude of femoral displacement from the load axis to be determined at any point within the field of view. The effects of the modulus of the implanted stem on the bending characteristics of the composite structure were clearly seen in the interferograms. This communication presents a photographic analysis of the double exposure interferograms recorded, as well as a critique of the technique for biomechanical measurements in vitro.