Special Issue "CT Arthrography"

A special issue of Tomography (ISSN 2379-139X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2024 | Viewed by 732

Special Issue Editor

Department of Radiology, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, Negrar di Valpolicella, 37042 Verona, Italy
Interests: MSK imaging; CT; DECT; MRI; shoulder; hip; adrenal; liver; pancreas; lung; infectious diseases; endometriosis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

By distending the articular cavity with the injection of diluted contrast material, arthrography allows for the identification and fine evaluation of small anatomic structures located inside the articular cavity. Magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) has been widely used in the past because of its intrinsic high contrast resolution.

However, MRI is a relatively long and expensive procedure that is not always suitable because of absolute or relative contraindications. In addition, MRA image quality could be altered by metal artifacts, often affecting previously operated articulations.

In comparison, computed tomography arthrography (CTA) is a cheaper and faster exam that is virtually free from motion artifacts. CT allows us to obtain high-resolution images for the evaluation of bony structures. Moreover, with the advent of modern scanners, radiation burden does not represent a problem in the adult population.

Computed tomography arthrography (CTA) has been successfully used for diagnosing glenohumeral joint cartilages, labral lesions, and rotator cuff tears. In particular, CTA of the shoulder can be considered comparable with regards to the identification of superior labrum lesions and full-thickness rotator cuff tears and represents a more reliable imaging tool for the evaluation of glenoid rim fractures and inferior glenohumeral ligament injuries. Moreover, CTA is a powerful tool for the evaluation of operated shoulders. Additionally, in the case of shoulder dislocation, CT allows the assessment of glenoid bone loss.

In the hip, CTA has been proposed for the diagnosis of labrum and cartilage lesions. Thanks to isotropic images and high spatial resolution, CTA can be used to identify subtle cartilage defects in the femoral head or the acetabular roof. Finally, CTA is accurate in depicting intra-articular loose bodies and for the measurement of femoral and acetabular angles.

In the knee, CTA can be used to diagnose subtle menisci rupture and dissection OCLs.

In the wrist, ankle, and elbow, CTA can be proposed because of its high spatial resolution.

Moreover, dual-energy CT (DECT) has recently been proposed in musculoskeletal imaging to increase tissue contrast and reduce metal artifacts; potential advantages in CTA are the use of virtual non-calcium images for the detection of bone marrow edema, or the use of monoenergetic images for image contrast optimization and metal artifact reduction. Additionally, virtual non-contrast images can be used to remove contrast material to focus on the assessment of bony structures.

For these reasons, dual-energy CTA could increase the overall diagnostic accuracy with respect to standard CTA.

Dr. Giovanni Foti
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Tomography is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

  • arthrography
  • computed tomography
  • cone beam
  • dual energy
  • shoulder
  • elbow
  • wrist
  • hip
  • knee
  • ankle
  • osteo-chondral lesions
  • dislocation
  • SLAP
  • bankart
  • FAI (femoro-acetabular impingement)
  • cartilage
  • menisci
  • Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex Injury (TFCC)
  • loose bodies.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

Review
Dual-Energy CT Arthrography: Advanced Muscolo-Skelatal Applications in Clinical Practice
Tomography 2023, 9(4), 1471-1484; https://doi.org/10.3390/tomography9040117 - 08 Aug 2023
Viewed by 584
Abstract
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the potential applications of dual-energy CT (DECT) in improving image quality and the diagnostic capabilities of CT arthrography (CTA) in clinical practice. The paper covers the use of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images, in which the injected [...] Read more.
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the potential applications of dual-energy CT (DECT) in improving image quality and the diagnostic capabilities of CT arthrography (CTA) in clinical practice. The paper covers the use of virtual non-contrast (VNC) images, in which the injected contrast medium is subtracted from the articular cavity in order to better analyze 2D and 3D images of the bone. Moreover, virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI) applications and their potential use for the reduction of metal artifacts and improving image contrast are reviewed. The role of virtual non-calcium (VNCa) in detecting bone marrow edema surrounding the imaged joint will be discussed. Furthermore, the role of iodine maps in enhancing the contrast between soft tissues, optimizing the visualization of contrast material, and distinguishing contrast material from calcifications is described. Finally, a case series including different joints is provided to underline the additional advantages of high-spatial-resolution dual-energy CT reconstructed images. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CT Arthrography)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Dual Energy CT Arthrography: Advanced Muscolo-skeletal Applications in Clinical Practice
Author: Giovanni Foti
Affiliation: Radiology Department, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria Hospital, 37024 Negrar di Valpolicella, Italy
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