Jan-Peter Grunz1, Lenhard Pennig2, Tabea Fieber3, Carsten Herbert Gietzen4, Julius Frederik Heidenreich4, Henner Huflage4, Philipp Gruschwitz4, Philipp Josef Kuhl4, Bernhard Petritsch4, Aleksander Kosmala4, Thorsten Alexander Bley4, Tobias Gassenmaier4. 1. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacher Straße 6, 97080, Würzburg, Germany. Grunz_J@ukw.de. 2. Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Cologne, Germany. 3. Department of Trauma, Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacher Straße 6, 97080, Würzburg, Germany. 4. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Würzburg, Oberdürrbacher Straße 6, 97080, Würzburg, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Trauma evaluation of extremities can be challenging in conventional radiography. A multi-use x-ray system with cone-beam CT (CBCT) option facilitates ancillary 3-D imaging without repositioning. We assessed the clinical value of CBCT scans by analyzing the influence of additional findings on therapy. METHODS: Ninety-two patients underwent radiography and subsequent CBCT imaging with the twin robotic scanner (76 wrist/hand/finger and 16 ankle/foot/toe trauma scans). Reports by on-call radiologists before and after CBCT were compared regarding fracture detection, joint affliction, comminuted injuries, and diagnostic confidence. An orthopedic surgeon recommended therapy based on reported findings. Surgical reports (N = 52) and clinical follow-up (N = 85) were used as reference standard. RESULTS: CBCT detected more fractures (83/64 of 85), joint involvements (69/53 of 71), and multi-fragment situations (68/50 of 70) than radiography (all p < 0.001). Six fractures suspected in radiographs were ruled out by CBCT. Treatment changes based on additional information from CBCT were recommended in 29 patients (31.5%). While agreement between advised therapy before CBCT and actual treatment was moderate (κ = 0.41 [95% confidence interval 0.35-0.47]; p < 0.001), agreement after CBCT was almost perfect (κ = 0.88 [0.83-0.93]; p < 0.001). Diagnostic confidence increased considerably for CBCT studies (p < 0.001). Median effective dose for CBCT was 4.3 μSv [3.3-5.3 μSv] compared to 0.2 μSv [0.1-0.2 μSv] for radiography. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT provides advantages for the evaluation of acute small bone and joint trauma by detecting and excluding extremity fractures and fracture-related findings more reliably than radiographs. Additional findings induced therapy change in one third of patients, suggesting substantial clinical impact. KEY POINTS: • With cone-beam CT, extremity fractures and fracture-related findings can be detected and ruled out more reliably than with conventional radiography. • Additional diagnostic information provided by cone-beam CT scans has substantial impact on therapy in small bone and joint trauma. • For distal extremity injury assessment, one-stop-shop imaging without repositioning is feasible with the twin robotic x-ray system.
OBJECTIVES:Trauma evaluation of extremities can be challenging in conventional radiography. A multi-use x-ray system with cone-beam CT (CBCT) option facilitates ancillary 3-D imaging without repositioning. We assessed the clinical value of CBCT scans by analyzing the influence of additional findings on therapy. METHODS: Ninety-two patients underwent radiography and subsequent CBCT imaging with the twin robotic scanner (76 wrist/hand/finger and 16 ankle/foot/toe trauma scans). Reports by on-call radiologists before and after CBCT were compared regarding fracture detection, joint affliction, comminuted injuries, and diagnostic confidence. An orthopedic surgeon recommended therapy based on reported findings. Surgical reports (N = 52) and clinical follow-up (N = 85) were used as reference standard. RESULTS: CBCT detected more fractures (83/64 of 85), joint involvements (69/53 of 71), and multi-fragment situations (68/50 of 70) than radiography (all p < 0.001). Six fractures suspected in radiographs were ruled out by CBCT. Treatment changes based on additional information from CBCT were recommended in 29 patients (31.5%). While agreement between advised therapy before CBCT and actual treatment was moderate (κ = 0.41 [95% confidence interval 0.35-0.47]; p < 0.001), agreement after CBCT was almost perfect (κ = 0.88 [0.83-0.93]; p < 0.001). Diagnostic confidence increased considerably for CBCT studies (p < 0.001). Median effective dose for CBCT was 4.3 μSv [3.3-5.3 μSv] compared to 0.2 μSv [0.1-0.2 μSv] for radiography. CONCLUSIONS: CBCT provides advantages for the evaluation of acute small bone and joint trauma by detecting and excluding extremity fractures and fracture-related findings more reliably than radiographs. Additional findings induced therapy change in one third of patients, suggesting substantial clinical impact. KEY POINTS: • With cone-beam CT, extremity fractures and fracture-related findings can be detected and ruled out more reliably than with conventional radiography. • Additional diagnostic information provided by cone-beam CT scans has substantial impact on therapy in small bone and joint trauma. • For distal extremity injury assessment, one-stop-shop imaging without repositioning is feasible with the twin robotic x-ray system.
Authors: Stephen Z Liu; Matthew Tivnan; Greg M Osgood; Jeffrey H Siewerdsen; J Webster Stayman; Wojciech Zbijewski Journal: Phys Med Biol Date: 2022-07-08 Impact factor: 4.174
Authors: Andreas Steven Kunz; Theresa Sophie Patzer; Jan-Peter Grunz; Karsten Sebastian Luetkens; Viktor Hartung; Robin Hendel; Tabea Fieber; Franca Genest; Süleyman Ergün; Thorsten Alexander Bley; Henner Huflage Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2022-09-16 Impact factor: 4.996