title: Is micro-computed tomography useful for wear assessment of ceramic femoral heads? A preliminary evaluation of volume measurements.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wear associated with hip components represents the main clinical problem in these patients, and it is important to develop new techniques for more accurate measurements of that wear. Currently, the gravimetric method is the gold standard for assessing mass measurements in preclinical evaluations. However, this method does not give other information such as volumetric loss or surface deviation. This work aimed to develop and validate a new technique to quantify ceramic volume loss from in vitro experiments using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  An alumina (BIOLOX® forte) femoral head (Ø = 28 mm) was used. Mass and volume loss were approached by gravimetric method (using a four decimal place digital microbalance) and by using Skyscan 1176 microtomographic system, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Standard error and coefficient of variance of both gravimetric and experimental groups demonstrated the reliability of the micro-CT analysis technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggest that this new protocol could be considered an important tool for wear assessment and that we have found a reliable metrological protocol for volumetric analysis of ceramic femoral head prostheses, demonstrating that the micro-CT technique can be an important tool for wear assessment.
authors.affiliation: Biocompatibility, Technological Innovations and Advanced Therapies Laboratory - BITTA, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Annapaola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parrilli
authors.affiliation: Medical Technology Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falcioni
authors.affiliation: Biocompatibility, Technological Innovations and Advanced Therapies Laboratory - BITTA, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna - Italy.|Preclinical and Surgical Studies Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fini
authors.affiliation: Medical Technology Laboratory, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna - Italy.
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Affatato
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D002516:Ceramics; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000537:Aluminum Oxide