Metal-induced artifacts in computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging: comparison of a biodegradable magnesium alloy versus titanium and stainless steel controls

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate metal artifacts induced by biodegradable magnesium-a new class of degradable biomaterial that is beginning to enter the orthopedic routine-on CT and MRI compared to standard titanium and steel controls. METHODS: Different pins made of titanium, stainless steel, and biodegradable magnesium alloys were scanned using a second-generation dual-energy multidetector CT and a 1.5-T MR scanner. In CT, quantitative assessment of artifacts was performed by two independent readers by measuring the noise in standardized regions of interest close to the pins. In MRI, the artifact diameter was measured. Interobserver agreement was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients. Artifacts were compared using Mann Whitney U tests. RESULTS: In comparison to stainless steel, biodegradable magnesium alloys induced significantly fewer artifacts in both 1.5-T MRI (p = 0.019-0.021) and CT (p = 0.003-0.006). Compared to titanium, magnesium induced significantly less artifact-related noise in CT (p = 0.003-0.008). Although artifacts were less on MRI for biodegradable magnesium compared to titanium, this result was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Biodegradable magnesium alloys induce substantially fewer artifacts in CT compared to standard titanium and stainless steel, and fewer artifacts in MRI for the comparison with stainless steel

Evaluation of a prototype correction algorithm to reduce metal artefacts in flat detector computed tomography of scaphoid fixation screws

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate a prototype correction algorithm to reduce metal artefacts in flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) of scaphoid fixation screws. FDCT has gained interest in imaging small anatomic structures of the appendicular skeleton. Angiographic C-arm systems with flat detectors allow fluoroscopy and FDCT imaging in a one-stop procedure emphasizing their role as an ideal intraoperative imaging tool. However, FDCT imaging can be significantly impaired by artefacts induced by fixation screws. Materials and methods: Following ethical board approval, commercially available scaphoid fixation screws were inserted into six cadaveric specimens in order to fix artificially induced scaphoid fractures. FDCT images corrected with the algorithm were compared to uncorrected images both quantitatively and qualitatively by two independent radiologists in terms of artefacts, screw contour, fracture line visibility, bone visibility, and soft tissue definition. Normal distribution of variables was evaluated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. In case of normal distribution, quantitative variables were compared using paired Student's t tests. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for quantitative variables without normal distribution and all qualitative variables. A pvalue of < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistically significant differences. Results: Metal artefacts were significantly reduced by the correction algorithm (p < 0.001), and the fracture line was more clearly defined (p < 0.01). The inter-observer reliability was "almost perfect” (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.85, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The prototype correction algorithm in FDCT for metal artefacts induced by scaphoid fixation screws may facilitate intra- and postoperative follow-up imaging. Key Points: • Flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) is a helpful imaging tool for scaphoid fixation. • The correction algorithm significantly reduces artefacts in FDCT induced by scaphoid fixation screws. • This may facilitate intra- and postoperative follow-up imaging

Evaluation of a prototype correction algorithm to reduce metal artefacts in flat detector computed tomography of scaphoid fixation screws

OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to evaluate a prototype correction algorithm to reduce metal artefacts in flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) of scaphoid fixation screws. FDCT has gained interest in imaging small anatomic structures of the appendicular skeleton. Angiographic C-arm systems with flat detectors allow fluoroscopy and FDCT imaging in a one-stop procedure emphasizing their role as an ideal intraoperative imaging tool. However, FDCT imaging can be significantly impaired by artefacts induced by fixation screws. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Following ethical board approval, commercially available scaphoid fixation screws were inserted into six cadaveric specimens in order to fix artificially induced scaphoid fractures. FDCT images corrected with the algorithm were compared to uncorrected images both quantitatively and qualitatively by two independent radiologists in terms of artefacts, screw contour, fracture line visibility, bone visibility, and soft tissue definition. Normal distribution of variables was evaluated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. In case of normal distribution, quantitative variables were compared using paired Student's t tests. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for quantitative variables without normal distribution and all qualitative variables. A p value of < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistically significant differences. RESULTS:Metal artefacts were significantly reduced by the correction algorithm (p < 0.001), and the fracture line was more clearly defined (p < 0.01). The inter-observer reliability was "almost perfect" (intra-class correlation coefficient 0.85, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:The prototype correction algorithm in FDCT for metal artefacts induced by scaphoid fixation screws may facilitate intra- and postoperative follow-up imaging. KEY POINTS:• Flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) is a helpful imaging tool for scaphoid fixation. • The correction algorithm significantly reduces artefacts in FDCT induced by scaphoid fixation screws. • This may facilitate intra- and postoperative follow-up imaging

Structural Musculotendinous Parameters That Predict Failed Tendon Healing After Rotator Cuff Repair

BACKGROUND: Healing of the rotator cuff after repair constitutes a major clinical challenge with reported high failure rates. Identifying structural musculotendinous predictors for failed rotator cuff repair could enable improved diagnosis and management of patients with rotator cuff disease. PURPOSE: To investigate structural predictors of the musculotendinous unit for failed tendon healing after rotator cuff repair. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: Included were 116 shoulders of 115 consecutive patients with supraspinatus (SSP) tear documented on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) who were treated with an arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Preoperative assessment included standardized clinical and imaging (MRI) examinations. Intraoperatively, biopsies of the joint capsule, the SSP tendon, and muscle were harvested for histological assessment. At 3 and 12 months postoperatively, patients were re-examined clinically and with MRI. Structural and clinical predictors of healing were evaluated using logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: Structural failure of tendon repair, which was significantly associated with poorer clinical outcome, was associated with older age (β = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.26; P = .03), shorter SSP tendon length (β = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.8 to 0.98; P = .02), and increased proportion of slow myosin heavy chain (MHC)-I/fast MHC-II hybrid muscle fibers (β = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.42; P = .004). Primary clinical outcome (12-month postoperative Constant score) was significantly less favorable for shoulders with fatty infiltration of the infraspinatus muscle (β = -4.71; 95% CI, -9.30 to -0.12; P = .044). Conversely, a high content of fast MHC-II muscle fibers (β = 0.24; 95% CI, 0.026 to 0.44; P = .028) was associated with better clinical outcome. CONCLUSION: Both decreased tendon length and increased hybrid muscle fiber type were independent predictors for retear. Clinical outcome was compromised by tendon retearing and increased fatty infiltration of the infraspinatus muscle. A high content of fast MHC-II SSP muscle fibers was associated with a better clinical outcome

Whole-body MRI in adult inflammatory myopathies: do we need imaging of the trunk?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether imaging of the trunk could be omitted in patients with inflammatory myopathies without losing diagnostic accuracy using a restricted whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (rWB-MRI) protocol. METHODS: After approval by the institutional review board, this study was performed in 63 patients (male/female, 13/50; median age, 52 years; range, 20-81 years) with new-onset myopathic symptoms (group 1, n = 41) or previously diagnosed inflammatory myopathy (group 2, n = 22). After performing whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) at 3.0 Tesla, myositis and fatty atrophy were evaluated in different muscles by two independent radiologists. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to evaluate inter-observer reliability. RESULTS: Acquisition time was 56:01 minutes for WB-MRI and 37:37 minutes (32.8 % shorter) for rWB-MRI. In group 1, 14 patients were diagnosed with inflammatory myopathy based on muscle biopsy. rWB-MRI and WB-MRI showed equal sensitivity (42.9 %) and specificity (100 %) for myositis, and showed equal sensitivity (71.4 %) and similar specificity (63.0 % and 48.1 %, respectively) for fatty atrophy. No myositis was found in the body trunk in any patient. Inter-observer reliability was between substantial and perfect (ICC, 0.77-1.00). CONCLUSIONS: rWB-MRI showed diagnostic accuracy similar to WB-MRI for inflammatory myopathy at markedly reduced overall acquisition time. KEY POINTS: Whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) is a time-consuming imaging modality. A shortened MRI protocol was evaluated for inflammatory myopathies. The proposed protocol showed diagnostic accuracy similar to WB-MRI

Whole-body intravoxel incoherent motion imaging

OBJECTIVES To investigate the technical feasibility of whole-body intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS Whole-body MR images of eight healthy volunteers were acquired at 3T using a spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequence with eight b-values. Coronal parametrical whole-body maps of diffusion (D), pseudodiffusion (D*), and the perfusion fraction (Fp) were calculated. Image quality was rated qualitatively by two independent radiologists, and inter-reader reliability was tested with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Region of interest (ROI) analysis was performed in the brain, liver, kidney, and erector spinae muscle. RESULTS Depiction of anatomic structures was rated as good on D maps and good to fair on D* and Fp maps. Exemplary mean D (10(-3) mm(2)/s), D* (10(-3) mm(2)/s) and Fp (%) values (± standard deviation) of the renal cortex were as follows: 1.7 ± 0.2; 15.6 ± 6.5; 20.9 ± 4.4. Inter-observer agreement was "substantial" to "almost perfect" (ICC = 0.80 - 0.92). The coefficient of variation of D* was significantly lower with the proposed algorithm compared to the conventional algorithm (p < 0.001), indicating higher stability. CONCLUSION The proposed IVIM protocol allows computation of parametrical maps with good to fair image quality. Potential future clinical applications may include characterization of widespread disease such as metastatic tumours or inflammatory myopathies. KEY POINTS • IVIM imaging allows estimation of tissue perfusion based on diffusion-weighted MRI. • In this study, a clinically suitable whole-body IVIM algorithm is presented. • Coronal parametrical whole-body maps showed good depiction of anatomic details. • Potential future applications include detection of widespread metastatic or inflammatory disease

Symptomatic lipoma of the internal auditory canal: CT and MRI findings. A case report

We describe the case of a 39-year-old man in whom diagnostic work-up for combined right-sided hearing loss revealed a lipoma of the internal auditory canal (IAC). This very rare diagnosis has significant implications for therapeutic management because lipomas, unlike other lesions in the IAC, should not be surgically removed in most cases. We emphasize the importance of the combined use of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography to reliably establish the diagnosis of a lipoma, differentiate it from other potential lesions of the internal auditory canal, and exclude additional pathologies in the petrosal bone

Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Hip Joint Infection Using MRI with Metal Artifact Reduction at 1.5 T

Background MRI with metal artifact reduction has gained importance in assessment of pain with total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, its role in diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) has not been well defined. Purpose To evaluate findings of PJI after THA and to determine the diagnostic performance of 1.5-T MRI with metal artifact reduction. Materials and Methods Dedicated compressed sensing-based slice encoding for metal artifact correction 1.5-T MRI examinations (from January 2015 to April 2018) in patients with THA PJI (infection group) and noninfected THA (control group) were retrospectively evaluated by two musculoskeletal radiologists. Fisher exact test was used to compare the groups. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were evaluated for each finding. Interobserver reliability was assessed with κ statistics. Results Forty patients (mean age, 69 years ± 11 [standard deviation]; 26 men) in the infection group and 100 patients (mean age, 67 years ± 11; 42 men) in the control group were evaluated. Periosteal reaction, capsule edema, and intramuscular edema differed between the two groups (P .05 for each finding). Conclusion The presence of periosteal reaction, capsule edema, and intramuscular edema after total hip arthroplasty at 1.5-T MRI with metal artifact reduction had a high accuracy in evaluation of periprosthetic joint infection. © RSNA, 2020 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Zanetti in this issue