P190 - Virtual arthroscopy of the patient's knee joint on outpatient clinic.
Abstract
Purpose
Cone beam CT (CBCT) scanning is a new imaging modality in orthopaedics. It is already widely spreading in foot and ankle surgery while it allows 3D imaging under real time weight bearing. We have published data on use of CBCT with intra-articular contrast media to visualise joint cartilage layers. This presentation now reports first data on virtual arthroscopy of real patients in a normal orthopaedic office setting.
Methods and Materials
20 consecutive knee patients who ended up to arthroscopic surgery were included. All patients followed the same procedure with anamnesis, clinical status and CBCT imaging with contras media (ia). After 18 seconds imaging computers recalculated a virual knee model out of the isotropic data with ultra high resolution of 0.2 mm in any given direction. This model was shown to patients, and surgery planning was explained in detail. Arthroscopic documentation and comparison to virtual arthroscopy data was performed after surgery.
Results
This initial data shows that patient satisfactory is very high to this new virtual reality (VR) type of diagnostics. Arthroscopic data confirmed all the cartilage lesions (58/58) in these patients, only one Gr I flap in MFC was missed in CBCT. Meniscus lesions were confirmed in arthroscopy only in 8/9 cases, one showing increased folding but no radial rupture in arthroscopy.
Conclusion
Our initial data shows, that isotropic data wit 0.2 mm resolution in all XYZ directions can offer a novel and fast VR data to be used even in normal office setting. This is the first time to get this accurate enough data to build up a virtual knee model to help in clinical decision making. Surgery can be now be planned more accurately and effectively before enterin the operating theater.
