Presentation Format: Educational poster presentation.
Purpose or Learning Objective: To illustrate the value of computed tomography (CT) for musculoskeletal applications CT compared with other imaging modalities and also illustrate its problem-solving capacities.
Methods or Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the standard of care in musculoskeletal imaging except in trauma and the emergency setting. Recent technological improvements in CT technology have contributed to a renewed interest of musculoskeletal applications of CT.
Results or Findings
-
Dual-energy CT
-
- Allows precise characterization of urate crystals from other types of crystalline deposition.
-
- Detects bone marrow edema in radiographic occult fractures and osteomyelitis.
-
- Reduces metal artifacts.
-
Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)
-
- Offers high spatial resolution at low dose.
-
- Plays an emergent role for a more precise diagnosis of fractures, local extent, complexity of fractures, dislocations, and for follow-up.
-
Characterizations of lesions: certain CT characteristics can suggest a specific diagnosis.
-
- The mineralization matrix: osteoid in bone-forming tumors, ground-glass appearance in fibrous dysplasia, and high-density attenuation measurements in enostosis.
-
- Detection of the nidus and central calcification in osteoid osteoma.
-
Fracture evaluation
-
Staging of cartilage lesions
-
Hybrid imaging
-
Biomechanical information
-
CT-guided intervention
-
- CT-guided intervention plays a critical role in interventional procedures such as biopsy, abscess drainage, tumor ablation, catheter placement, and minimally invasive spinal surgery.
-
- Compared with fluoroscopic guidance, the major advantage of CT is the cross-sectional visualization of the anatomy and interventional materials.
Conclusion: Although MRI is regarded as the preferred imaging modality for the assessment of musculoskeletal lesions, recent technological improvements have made CT a valuable tool to evaluate selected musculoskeletal problems and to tackle specific clinical scenarios.