Quantifying in vivo scaphoid, lunate, and capitate kinematics using four-dimensional computed tomography

Michelle Brinkhorst,Ruud Selles,Mahyar Foumani,Joost Van Rosmalen,Steven Hovius,Simon Strackee,Geert Streekstra

doi:10.1007/s00256-020-03543-4

Abstract

ObjectiveWe aimed to establish a quantitative description of motion patterns and establish test-retest reliability of the four-dimensional CT when quantifying in vivo kinematics of the scaphoid, lunate, and capitate.Materials and methodsWe assessed in vivo kinematics of both wrists of 20 healthy volunteers (11 men and 9 women) between the ages of 20 and 40 years. All volunteers performed active flexion-extension and radial-ulnar deviation with both wrists. To test for reliability, one motion cycle was rescanned for both wrists approximately 15 min after the first scan. The coefficient of multiple correlation was used to analyze reliability. When two motion patterns are similar, the coefficient of multiple correlation tends towards 1, whereas in dissimilar motion patterns, it tends towards 0. The root mean square deviation was used to analyze the total motion patterns variability between the two scans.ResultsOverall, mean or median coefficient of multiple correlations were higher than 0.86. The root mean square deviations were low and ranged from 1.17° to 4.29°.ConclusionThis innovative non-invasive imaging technique can reliably describe in vivo carpal kinematics of uninjured wrists in healthy individuals. It provides us with a better understanding and reference values of carpal kinematics of the scaphoid, lunate, and capitate.

Highlights

Wrist motion guiding deviceThe wrist is one of the most complex joints in the human body
By analyzing motion patterns of carpal bones quantitatively, we expect to be able to differentiate between normal and abnormal wrist kinematics which occur after ligament disruption [1, 2]
Four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) was introduced for the acquisition of dynamic 3D images of a moving wrist joint [3,4,5,6,7]. It yields a series of time-resolved 3D images, which allows studying individual wrist bone movements in a non-invasive way

Summary

Introduction

Wrist motion guiding deviceThe wrist is one of the most complex joints in the human body. To functionally stabilize the wrist, numerous strong ligaments interconnect wrist bones to surrounding structures, allowing them to function cohesively. By analyzing motion patterns of carpal bones quantitatively, we expect to be able to differentiate between normal and abnormal wrist kinematics which occur after ligament disruption [1, 2]. Four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) was introduced for the acquisition of dynamic 3D images of a moving wrist joint [3,4,5,6,7]. It yields a series of time-resolved 3D images, which allows studying individual wrist bone movements in a non-invasive way. The strengths of the 4DCT method compared with other imaging methods for measurement of carpal kinematics, like 4D-RX [8, 9], is that it fits in the clinical workflow and that it needs limited acquisition time

Methods

Results

Conclusion