Musculoskeletal applications of flat-panel volume CT.
Flat-panel volume computed tomography (fpVCT) is a recent development in imaging. We discuss some of the musculoskeletal applications of a high-resolution flat-panel CT scanner. FpVCT has four main advantages over conventional multidetector computed tomography (MDCT): high-resolution imaging; volumetric coverage; dynamic imaging; omni-scanning. The overall effective dose of fpVCT is comparable to that of MDCT scanning. Although current fpVCT technology has higher spatial resolution, its contrast resolution is slightly lower than that of MDCT (5-10HU vs. 1-3HU respectively). We discuss the efficacy and potential utility of fpVCT in various applications related to musculoskeletal radiology and review some novel applications for pediatric bones, soft tissues, tumor perfusion, and imaging of tissue-engineered bone growth. We further discuss high-resolution CT and omni-scanning (combines fluoroscopic and tomographic imaging).
Reichardt
Benjamin
B
Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, FND-216, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Sarwar
Ammar
A
Bartling
Soenke H
SH
Cheung
Arnold
A
Grasruck
Michael
M
Leidecker
Christianne
C
Bredella
Miriam A
MA
Brady
Thomas J
TJ
Gupta
Rajiv
R
D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens