Evaluation of Digital Linear Tomosynthesis Imaging of Total Joint Arthroplasty Using an Amorphous Selenium Flat-panel Detector

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical potential application of digital linear tomosynthesis in the imaging of hip prostheses. Volumetric x-ray digital linear tomosynthesis was used to image hip prostheses. The device used for an object of comparison assumed x-ray radiograph and computer tomography (CT) imaging. The results showed that the visualization of hip prostheses is improved by the ability to produce sectional images that blur overlying structures and yield three-dimensional (3D) information of the hip joint. The streak artifacts from the metallic components of CT devices limit the usefulness of CT in this application. The flexibility of digital linear tomosynthesis, as well as the fact that through an appropriate choice of modified filtered backprojection (FBP) algorithms it can suppress streak artifacts, potentially makes it an appropriate approach for evaluating hip prostheses. The potential of digital linear tomosynthesis in the evaluation of hip prostheses was demonstrated. Future investigations will study the ability of digital linear tomosynthesis to quantify the spatial relationships between the metallic components of these devices as well as the ability of digital linear tomosynthesis to identify bony changes of diagnostic consequence.