Bart Carelsen, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Niels Bakker PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Mario Maas MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Simon D Strackee, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Joerg Sabczynski, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sjirk Boon PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Marcel van Herk PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Cornelis A Grimbergen PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Geert J. Streekstra PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Proper evaluation of wrist functioning starts with the analysis of dynamic 3D movement of the carpal bones in the wrist joint. Video fluoroscopy and animated 3D imaging of the wrist joint will not reveal abrupt changes as seen often with dynamic joint pathology. We developed a system for 4-Dimensional Rotational X-ray (4D-RX) of a moving object to obtain a series of time resolved 3D reconstructions.

A prototype image intensifier based 3D-RX system (BV Pulsera, Philips Medical Systems, Best, NL) is used together with a movement device. For 4D-RX, projection images are taken during rotation of the C-arm and multiple 3D-RX reconstructions of the moving object at different motion phases are obtained. In our setup we obtained 9 and 11 reconstructions of the wrist joint motion captured in respectively 41 and 34 projection images. A post mortem wrist as well as a phantom were imaged, from the phantom images the spatial and contrast were deduced.

The best quality was obtained using of 41 projection images for each phase in the motion, obtaining 9 3D reconstructions. No loss in contrast and spatial resolution compared to their static counterparts was observerd. Although both the volume renderings and slice views show artefacts, the anatomical structures of the carpal bones are clearly visible. Moreover, a clear representation of the 3D joint kinematics is obtained.

A first prototype shows the feasiblity of 4D imaging of the moving wrist joint. We anticipate that dynamic imaging 4D-RX of the wrist and other joints for diagnostic purposes may be of great help for assessing functional disorders.

We showed the feasibility of imaging 3D dynamic motion patterns of cyclically moving carpal bones in the wrist which we expect will improve the assessment of joint disorders.

Carelsen, B, Bakker, N, Maas, M, Strackee, S, Sabczynski, J, Boon, S, Herk, M, Grimbergen, C, Streekstra, G, et al, , 4D Rotational X-ray Imaging of the Moving Wrist Joint.  Radiological Society of North America 2006 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 1, 2006 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2006/4434876.html