7 Healthcast: 3D sports imaging

Twenty-two year old Shawn Edge of Leominster had high hopes of playing college football, but a serious injury sidelined him.

Shawn Edge, Suffered ACL Injury
"I ended up playing a pickup game of football with a couple friends and I just got hit the wrong way and tore my ACL completely."

Dr. Guoan Li, Massachusetts General Hospital
"The limitation here is that you still cannot see what's happening inside the joint."

But thanks to a new 3D imaging system at Massachusetts General Hospital, doctors get a much clearer view of what's going on inside.

Dr. Guoan Li, Massachusetts General Hospital
"This system makes it kind of exciting to help us go inside the joint so we can actually see what's happening at the joint."

It's called the fluoroscopic MRI system. It allows doctors to see the different dimensions of a joint. This way, they can get a better sense of movement and range of motion.

Dr. Guoan Li, Massachusetts General Hospital
"If the patient walks on here you can create the patients joint of motion pattern in the computer and then the doctor can clearly see where and what the problem is and treat that specifically."

Today Shawn is fully healed, and although he's not a college football star, he is happy to be walking and pain-free!

Shawn Edge, Suffered ACL Injury
"I really can't say enough about this new technology that they are using. I mean if I had picked anywhere else I wouldn't be at the level in terms of strength wise and being able to do certain activities now."

I’m Kim Khazei, 7News.

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