title: Validation of cone-beam computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the porcine spine: a comparative study with multidetector computed tomography and anatomical specimens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  New spinal interventions or implants have been tested on ex vivo or in vivo porcine spines, as they are readily available and have been accepted as a comparable model to human cadaver spines. Imaging-guided interventional procedures of the spine are mostly based on fluoroscopy or, still, on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are also available methods to guide interventional procedures. Although some MDCT data from porcine spines are available in the literature, validation of the measurements on CBCT and MRI is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe and compare the anatomical measurements accomplished with MDCT, CBCT, and MRI of lumbar porcine spines to determine if CBCT and MRI are also useful methods for experimental studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  An experimental descriptive-comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen anatomical measurements of an individual vertebra from six lumbar porcine spines (n=36 vertebrae) were compared with their MDCT, CBCT, and MRI equivalents. Comparisons were made for the absolute values of the parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Similarities were found in all imaging methods. Significant correlation (p<.05) was observed with all variables except those that included cartilaginous tissue from the end plates when the anatomical study was compared with the imaging methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CBCT and MRI provided imaging measurements of the lumbar porcine spines that were similar to the anatomical and MDCT data, and they can be useful for specific experimental research studies.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Instituto de Radiologia-InRad, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, s/n(o) - Rua 1 - Cerqueira César, CEP: 05403-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Radiology Unit, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo-ICESP, Avenida Doutor Arnaldo, 251, Cerqueira César, 01246-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: ricardomcfreitas@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ricardo Miguel Costa
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Instituto de Radiologia-InRad, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, s/n(o) - Rua 1 - Cerqueira César, CEP: 05403-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Celi Santos
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Instituto de Radiologia-InRad, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, s/n(o) - Rua 1 - Cerqueira César, CEP: 05403-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Guilherme Mendes Pereira
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Caldas
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Instituto de Radiologia-InRad, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, s/n(o) - Rua 1 - Cerqueira César, CEP: 05403-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Fligelman
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kanas
authors.affiliation: Anatomy Department, University of São Paulo Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2415 - Cidade Universitária, Butantã, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Richard Halti
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Department, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho Biosciences Institute, Dist. Rubião Jr, 18618-970, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Miriam Harumi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tsunemi
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory, Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, Travessa R, 187, Cidade Universitária, 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hernán Joel Cervantes
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Laboratory, Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, Travessa R, 187, Cidade Universitária, 05508-090, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Said Rahnamaye
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Rabbani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D013131:Spine / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013552:Swine
keywords: Anatomy; Cone-beam computed tomography; Lumbar spine; Magnetic resonance imaging; Multidetector computed tomography; Porcine