The effect of CT dose on glenohumeral joint congruency measurements using 3D reconstructed patient-specific bone models

Abstract

The study of joint congruency at the glenohumeral joint of the shoulder using computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of joint surfaces is an area of significant clinical interest. However, ionizing radiation delivered to patients during CT examinations is much higher than other types of radiological imaging. The shoulder represents a significant challenge for this modality as it is adjacent to the thyroid gland and breast tissue. The objective of this study was to determine the optimal CT scanning techniques that would minimize radiation dose while accurately quantifying joint congruency of the shoulder. The results suggest that only one-tenth of the standard applied total current (mA) and a pitch ratio of 1.375:1 was necessary to produce joint congruency values consistent with that of the higher dose scans. Using the CT scanning techniques examined in this study, the effective dose applied to the shoulder to quantify joint congruency was reduced by 88.9% compared to standard clinical CT imaging techniques.

Cadaveric study validating in vitro monitoring techniques to measure the failure mechanism of glenoid implants against clinical CT

“…Therefore using CT imaging in its current form may be more suited for more critical cases. However, there is ongoing research and discussion on optimizing CT parameters to minimize dosage and achieve the required image accuracy 29. There may be some way to go to find a practical solution to the problem of detecting implant loosening clinically.…”

“…However, there is ongoing research and discussion on optimizing CT parameters to minimize dosage and achieve the required image accuracy. 29 There may be some way to go to find a practical solution to the problem of detecting implant loosening clinically. Despite this the outcomes of this study sheds some light into understanding mechanical loosening.…”