Thin Bone Research Articles

Total hip arthroplasty with femoral shortening osteotomy using polished cemented stem vs. modular cementless stem in patients with Crowe type IV developmental dysplasia of the hip.

There is still little information regarding the advantages of a using a polished tapered stem for Crowe Type IV developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). This study aimed to investigate the mid-term clinical and radiological outcomes of primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) with femoral shortening osteotomy using modular and polished tapered stems and to compare the results between the modular and polished tapered stems. This retrospective review included 32 patients (37 hips) with Crowe type IV DDH who underwent primary THA with femoral shortening osteotomy using a modular stem (cementless group, 14 hips) or a polished tapered stem (cement group, 23 hips) between 1996 and 2018. Clinical data and radiographic assessments were reviewed to analyze the differences between the two groups. The mean duration of patient follow-up of the cementless group (134.4months) was longer than that of the cement group (75.5months). There were no differences in clinical results, time of bone union, and survival rate between the two groups. However, the cementless group exhibited a higher ratio of intraoperative fracture and thinning of cortical bone including stress shielding, medullary changes, stem alignment changes, and osteolysis, compared to the cement group. The findings of this study suggest that THA with femoral shortening osteotomy using both cemented and modular stems can provide satisfactory results. However, considering the occurrence of intraoperative fracture and radiographic analysis in the current study, the cement stem may have an advantage for patients with bone fragility and deterioration in bone quality.

Dysosteosclerosis: Clinical and Radiological Evolution Reflecting Genetic Heterogeneity.

ABSTRACTDysosteosclerosis (DSS), the term coined in 1968 for ultrarare dysplasia of the skeleton featuring platyspondyly with focal appendicular osteosclerosis, has become generic by encompassing the genetic heterogeneity recently reported for this phenotype. We studied four unrelated Turkish patients with DSS to advance understanding of the new nosology. Patient 1 suffered femur fractures beginning at age 1 year. DSS was suspected from marked metaphyseal osteosclerosis in early childhood and subsequently platyspondyly accompanying patchy osteosclerosis of her appendicular skeleton. She harbored in SLC29A3, in 2012 the first gene associated with DSS, a unique homozygous duplication (c.303_320dup, p.102_107dupYFESYL). Patient 2 presented similarly with fractures and metaphyseal osteosclerosis but with no platyspondyly at age 2 months. She was homozygous for a novel nonsense mutation in SLC29A3 (c.1284C>G, p.Tyr428*). Patient 3 had ocular disease at age 2 years, presented for short stature at age 11 years, and did not begin to fracture until age 16 years. Radiographs showed mild platyspondyly and focal metaphyseal and femoral osteosclerosis. She was homozygous for a unique splice site mutation in TNFRSF11A (c.616+3A>G). Patient 4 at age 2 years manifested developmental delay and frequent infections but did not fracture. He had unique metadiaphyseal splaying and osteosclerosis, vertebral end‐plate osteosclerosis, and cortical thinning of long bones but no mutation was detected of SLC29A3, TNFRSF11A, TCIRG1, LRRK1, or CSF1R associated with DSS. We find that DSS from defective SLC29A3 presents earliest and with fractures. DSS from compromised TNFRSF11A can lead to optic atrophy as an early finding. Negative mutation analysis in patient 4 suggests further genetic heterogeneity underlying the skeletal phenotype of DSS. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Extended middle meatal antrostomy via antidromic extended medial wall for the treatment of fungal maxillary sinusitis

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to compare the long-term results of extended middle meatal antrostomy (MMA) and MMA combined with inferior meatal antrostomy (IMA, combined approach) for the treatment of fungal maxillary sinusitis (FMS).Methods and materialsA retrospective analysis including 90 patients with non-invasive FMS was treated with endoscopic extended MMA via antidromic extended medial wall (extended MMA group), or with both MMA and IMA (combined approach group). The recurrence rate, operation time, and complications were evaluated at postoperative 12 and 36 months.ResultsOf the 90 patients, 52 patients were in the extended MMA group and 38 patients in the combined approach group. CT revealed the thin medial wall or bone defect in 63.33% (57/90) patients. The mean operation time in the extended MMA group was significantly shorter than that of combined approach group (42.5 ± 6.5 vs 57.4 ± 4.9, P < 0.01). At postoperative 12 months postoperatively, the recurrence rate was 3.85% (2/52) in the extended MMA group and 0.0% (0/38) in the combined approach group, the difference wasn’t significant (X2 = 0.618, P > 0.05). The recurrence rate wasn’t increased during the follow-up period over time in both groups.13.5% (7/52) patients complained of cheek numbness in the extended MMA group, 60.5% (23/38) patients complained of cheek numbness and epiphora in 5.3% (2/38) patients in the combined approach group, the difference was significant (X2 test, P < 0.01). However, no major complications were observed in both groups. In addition, IMA closure was observed in 4 (10.5%) in the combined approach group at 12 months postoperatively and in 9 (23.6%) at 36 months postoperatively.ConclusionsExtended MMA via antidromic extended medial wall may effectively prevent the recurrence and reduce the complications of FMS, IMA wasn’t necessary for the treatment of FMS in most cases.

Accuracy evaluation of cone beam computed tomography applied to measure peri-implant bone thickness in living patients: an ex vivo and in vivo experiment.

This study aims to study the accuracy of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for measuring peri-implant bone thickness in living patients via a novel visualization method (NVM). The validity of the NVM was verified ex vivo by measuring the same peri-implant bone thicknesses in bovine ribs by using raw postoperative CBCT (clinical measurement, CM), the visualized fused images obtained using the NVM (visualized fused measurement, VF), and hard tissue sections (gold standard measurement, GS). The NVM was applied by deconstructing the postoperative CBCT model into the Modelpost-bone and Modelimplant and replacing it with bone from preoperative CBCT and standard implant models, respectively. In vivo, 52 implants were included, and the VF of each implant was obtained using data processing methods similar to those used ex vivo. Then, we compared the results of CM and VF. Ex vivo, the VF was similar to GS, while CM usually underestimated the peri-implant bone thickness, especially at the implant shoulder (P < 0.01). In vivo, on CBCT, areas with a peri-implant bone thickness of 0-0.50mm were not visible, while those with a thickness of 0.50-1.00mm were occasionally visible. There was less underestimation of bone along the implant long axis. Thin peri-implant bones could be completely underestimated on CBCT. CBCT scans alone are insufficient to warrant surgical intervention. Our NVM facilitates the accurate visual assessment of implant dimensions. The thickness of peri-implant bone could be completely underestimated when thinner than 1.0mm inlivingpatients. Familiarity with these confusing CBCT results may help clinicians and patients avoid further unnecessary evaluation, misdiagnosis, and invasive treatment.

The scratch-digging lifestyle of the Permian “microsaur” Batropetes Carroll &amp; Gaskill, 1971 as a model for the exaptative origin of jumping locomotion in frogs

Recent studies have shown that the Triassic stem-frog Triadobatrachus Kuhn, 1962 lacked the ability to jump, but nonetheless had the forelimb strength to withstand the impact of landing from a jump. We propose a hypothesis to resolve this pseudoparadox: the strengthened forelimbs are former adaptations to forelimb-based digging that later made jumping possible by exaptation. Micro-CT data from a skeleton of Batropetes palatinus Glienke, 2015 reveal thin cortical bone, confirming Batropetes Carroll &amp; Gaskill, 1971 as terrestrial. Combining adaptations to walking and digging, confirmed by statistical analyses, Batropetes is thought to have searched for food in leaf litter or topsoil. We interpret Batropetes as having used one forelimb at a time to shove leaf litter aside. Batropetes may thus represent an analog, or possibly a homolog, of the digging stage that preceded the origin of Salientia Laurenti, 1768. We discuss the possibility of homology with the digging lifestyles of other “microsaurs” and other amphibians.

Osteosarcoma Arising in Fibrous Dysplasia of the Long Bone: Characteristic Images and Molecular Profiles.

Fibrous dysplasia (FD) is a benign fibro-osseous lesion that frequently involves the craniofacial bones and femur. Malignant transformation of FD is a rare occurrence. We report a 38-year-old woman with osteosarcoma (OS) arising from FD of the femur. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-defined lesion in the medulla of the femur, with cortical thinning and local bone destruction. Wide excision of the femur was performed. Grossly, the inner part of the mass was hard and tan-gray in color, and the outer part of the mass adjacent to the cortex showed myxoid discoloration with infiltrative borders. Microscopically, most of the tumor consisted of curvilinear woven bone and fibrous stroma with bland spindle cells, which transitioned to the outer portion of the tumor, showing cellular proliferation of pleomorphic cells with frequent mitotic activity. Next-generation sequencing revealed GNAS and TP53 mutations, and the diagnosis of OS arising from FD was strongly supported. This case highlights the characteristic images and molecular features of the malignant transformation of FD.

Dominant osteogenesis imperfecta with low bone turnover caused by a heterozygous SP7 variant.

Mutations in SP7 (encoding osterix) have been identified as a rare cause of recessive osteogenesis imperfecta ('OI type XII') and in one case of dominant juvenile Paget's disease. We present the first description of young adult siblings with OI due to a unique heterozygous mutation in SP7. The phenotype was characterized by fragility fractures (primarily of the long bone diaphyses), poor healing, scoliosis, and dental malocclusion. Both siblings had very low cortical volumetric bone mineral density on peripheral quantitative computed tomography of the radius (z-scores -6.6 and-6.7 at the diaphysis), porous cortices, and thin cortices at the radial metaphysis. Histomorphometry demonstrated thin cortices and low bone turnover with reduced osteoblast function. Both siblings were heterozygous for a missense variant affecting a highly conserved zinc finger domain of osterix (c.1019A>C; p.Glu340Ala) on DNA sequencing. Co-transfection of plasmids carrying the SP7 mutation with DLX5 and a luciferase reporter demonstrated that this variant impacted gene function (reduced transcription co-activation compared to wild-type SP7). The low cortical density and cortical porosity seen in our patients are consistent with previous reports of individuals with SP7 mutations. However, the low bone turnover in our patients contrasts with the high turnover state seen in previously reported patients with SP7 mutations. This report indicates that dominant variants in SP7 can give rise to OI. The predominant feature, low cortical density, is common in patients with other SP7 mutations, however other features appear to depend on the specific variant.

Spherical Periacetabular Osteotomy.

Preoperative 3-dimensional planning is utilized to decide the radius of the curved osteotome, locations of the reference points for the osteotomy line, and depth of the bone groove at the teardrop area. The pelvic positioning is arranged fluoroscopically to match the neutral position based on preoperative planning. A 7-cm incision is made along the medial margin of the iliac crest. An anterior iliac crest osteotomy of 4.5 cm (length) × 1 cm (medial wedge-shaped) is performed. The operative field is maintained with aluminum retractors. The osteotomy line is completed by connecting the preoperatively planned reference points on the inner cortex of the ilium. The bone groove is made along the osteotomy line with use of a high-speed burr. A blunt osteotome is inserted into the bone groove at the teardrop area until it reaches the preoperatively planned depth. The blunt osteotome makes a pathway for the curved osteotome without breaking the quadrilateral surface (QLS) or perforating the hip joint. The special curved osteotome is inserted manually until it reaches the bottom of the groove, and the posterior cortex is cut. After the top of the teardrop is divided fluoroscopically, the anterior ischial cortex is osteotomized with a sharpened spiked Cobb elevator at the infracotyloid groove. An angled curved osteotome is used for the osteotomy of the superior area of the teardrop area. The bone fragment is rotated with a spreader and an angled retractor, and fixed with 2 absorbable screws. Beta-tricalcium phosphate blocks are inserted into the bone gap. The osteotomized wedge-shaped iliac bone is repositioned and fixed. Alternatives include the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy, rotational acetabular osteotomy, and triple innominate osteotomy. Bernese periacetabular osteotomy utilizes an anterior approach, cuts into the QLS, and preserves the posterior column. In contrast, SPO preserves the QLS and does not cut the pubis. These features of SPO have some advantages. The large osteotomized surface is advantageous for osseous fusion, and preserving the QLS and pubis protects the trunk of the obturator artery. Furthermore, the preservation of the connection between the ilium, ischium, and pubis in SPO maintains a more stable pelvic ring than in Bernese periacetabular osteotomy. The osteotomy line is arranged to prevent leg shortening caused by thin medial bone stock of the bone fragment. Although splitting the teardrop area in SPO is somewhat technically difficult, particularly in cases with a thin teardrop, it can be safely done with use of preoperative 3-dimensional planning and appropriate surgical technique.In addition, the use of our medial wedge-shaped osteotomy at the iliac crest has 2 advantages: protection of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and preservation of the attachment of the tensor fascia latae muscle. The advantages of SPO are a stable pelvic ring postoperatively, reduced risk of nonunion at the osteotomy site, no risk to the trunk of the obturator artery, preservation of the blood supply to the bone fragment, a small incision, and early muscle recovery. Preoperative 3-dimensional planning of the osteotomy design is essential.The special curved osteotomes are designed so that osteotomy of the posterior cortex is completed when the handles are perpendicular to the pelvis.The special curved osteotomes are made with a radius of either 50 or 60 mm, which are the most suitable sizes for the Japanese population. Larger-diameter osteotomes may be required for different races.As the rotated bone fragment is relatively small, it is difficult to obtain rigid fixation of the osteotomy site. Hence, the fragment can move slightly in the early phase after surgery. Careful rehabilitation is needed. AIIS = anterior inferior iliac spineASIS = anterior superior iliac spineLFCN = lateral femoral cutaneous nerveG.T. = greater trochanterK-wire = Kirschner wireBeta (β)-TCP = beta-tricalcium phosphate.

Preseptal Cellulitis Versus Orbital Cellulitis: A Pediatric Case.

Eye infection with or without swelling is a common complaint in pediatric patients. It commonly affects the eyelid, which can be confused with an insect bite, orbital pseudotumor, or panophthalmitis. The article highlights the differences between preseptal and orbital cellulitis. Preseptal and orbital cellulitis originate from other infections because of the thin bone barrier that separates the eye from other facial structures. The clinical manifestations of preseptal and orbital cellulitis may be perplexing, and emergency nurse practitioners must distinguish between the two infections. The incorrect diagnosis may lead to complications. The complications associated with orbital cellulitis are vision loss, brain abscess, vision loss, cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis, orbital cellulitis, subperiosteal abscess, and death. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment will prevent these complications.

Postoperative Outcomes of Patients with Thin Bone Overlying the Superior Semicircular Canal: A Single Institution's Experience

Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) is defined by a bony defect overlying the superior semicircular canal (SSC) in the middle cranial fossa floor, causing a myriad of vestibular and auditory symptoms. Patients with thin bone without full dehiscence overlying the SSC also present with similar symptoms. There are currently no guidelines for surgical management of patients with thin bone. The authors offer their experience with thin bone patients to characterize their symptomatology and explore whether these patients benefit from surgical intervention typically offered to SSCD patients. Two hundred fifty-six patients evaluated for SSCD from 2011 to 2019 were reviewed. High-resolution coronal computed tomography scans with 0.6-mm slice thickness of the temporal bones were assessed to determine whether the patient had a true dehiscence or a thin bone covering overlying the SSC. Bone that was ≤0.5mm was considered to be "thin bone." Parameters of interest included patient demographics as well as preoperative and postoperative symptomatology. A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Forty-eight patients met inclusion criteria of having "thin bone." The mean age was 48.13±12.03years, and 65.5% of patients were female. Of the preoperative symptoms evaluated, the greatest postoperative symptomatic resolution was noted in hearing loss (92.3%), vertigo (94.4%), and oscillopsia (100%). Dizziness (56.5%) had the lowest symptomatic resolution rate. Surgical management of thin bone patients via middle fossa craniotomy, a similar technique to SSCD repair, provides significant symptomatic resolution. Therefore, surgery should be considered in thin bone patients with debilitating symptoms, albeit not having a true dehiscence.

Evaluation of Risk Factors for Severe Apical Root Resorption in the Maxillary Incisors Following Fixed Orthodontic Treatment.

The aim of this study was to retrospectively determine the prevalence of severe external root resorption in maxillary inci- sors during fixed orthodontic treatment and to evaluate the possible predisposing factors. The treatment records of 7000 patients who had been treated between 1990 and 2019 at the Department of Orthodontics Faculty of Dentistry Marmara University were examined, and a total of 120 patients with severe root resorption in at least one of their upper incisors were identified. The following data were retrieved from the patients' records and radiographs: gender, root morpholo- gy, overjet, overbite, treatment modality (extraction, non-extraction), treatment duration, buccal and palatal alveolar bone thickness for the maxillary incisors, and amount of movement of the incisal root apices and incisal edges. These data from a group of 90 patients with severe root resorption were compared with the data from a control group of 90 patients with minimal root resorption. The Chi- square test, the Mann-Whitney U-test, and the independent t-test were used for statistical analysis. The prevalence of severe external root resorption was 3.23%, and the results demonstrated significant difference between the groups for the variables of treatment modality (extractions), treatment duration, thickness of the alveolar bone, and amount of incisor movement at the end of the treatment. It can be concluded that extractions, increased treatment duration, thin alveolar bone, and excessive incisor movement represent risk factors for severe root resorption in maxillary incisors following orthodontic treatment.

Unsupervised-learning-based method for chest MRI–CT transformation using structure constrained unsupervised generative attention networks

The integrated positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) scanner simultaneously acquires metabolic information via PET and morphological information using MRI. However, attenuation correction, which is necessary for quantitative PET evaluation, is difficult as it requires the generation of attenuation-correction maps from MRI, which has no direct relationship with the gamma-ray attenuation information. MRI-based bone tissue segmentation is potentially available for attenuation correction in relatively rigid and fixed organs such as the head and pelvis regions. However, this is challenging for the chest region because of respiratory and cardiac motions in the chest, its anatomically complicated structure, and the thin bone cortex. We propose a new method using unsupervised generative attentional networks with adaptive layer-instance normalisation for image-to-image translation (U-GAT-IT), which specialised in unpaired image transformation based on attention maps for image transformation. We added the modality-independent neighbourhood descriptor (MIND) to the loss of U-GAT-IT to guarantee anatomical consistency in the image transformation between different domains. Our proposed method obtained a synthesised computed tomography of the chest. Experimental results showed that our method outperforms current approaches. The study findings suggest the possibility of synthesising clinically acceptable computed tomography images from chest MRI with minimal changes in anatomical structures without human annotation.

Lack of CCR3 leads to a skeletal phenotype only in male mice

We recently showed that adult male mice that lacked the C–C-chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3) exhibited disturbed bone remodeling, which resulted in a cortical bone phenotype of thin femoral cortical bone. However, it remains unknown whether this phenotype would be present during bone modeling, or it affects female mice. Here, we analyzed juvenile and adolescent CCR3-deficient mice to determine when bone modeling was affected in the absence of CCR3 signaling. To investigate whether the CCR3 bone phenotype was sex-related, we analyzed both young female and male mice, and adult females.Micro-computed tomography (μCT) and histomorphometric analyses in adolescent CCR3-deficient male mice revealed reduced cortical bone volume and thickness, and an increase in periosteal mineralization. Interestingly, no skeletal phenotype was observed in adolescent or adult female CCR3-deficient mice. Among juvenile CCR3-deficient mice, neither males nor females showed a skeletal phenotype, which indicated that bone modeling was not affected by the CCR3 deficiency.In summary, adolescent and adult male mice that lacked CCR3 receptors exhibited a cortical phenotype that was not present in female mice, probably due to an estrogen protective mechanism. Based on these and our previous results, we suggest that the importance of CCR3 in cortical bone turnover is related to sex hormones. Because only a few molecules are known to control cortical bone turnover, our novel finding that CCR3 regulated cortical bone thickness only in males suggested that CCR3 is a novel target for controlling cortical bone morphology in male individuals, and perhaps, in post-menopausal women.

Efficacy of Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE) in late adolescents and adults with the Dutch Maxillary Expansion Device: a prospective clinical cohort study

ObjectivesTo provide a higher degree of evidence on the efficacy of Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion (MARPE) in late adolescents and adults, thereby applying the Dutch Maxillary Expansion Device (D-MED).Materials and methodsD-MED was developed as an individualized, 3D-designed, and fabricated MARPE appliance supported by 4 palatal miniscrews. Patients from the age of 16 onwards with transverse maxillary deficiency were enrolled consecutively. Pre-expansion and immediate post-expansion CBCTs and intra-oral scans were acquired and measurements of skeletal, alveolar, and dental expansion as well as dental and periodontal side-effects were performed.ResultsThirty-four patients were enrolled (8 men, 26 women) with mean age 27.0 ± 9.4 years. A success rate of 94.1% was achieved (32/34 patients). The mean expansion duration, or mean observation time, was 31.7 ± 8.0 days. The mean expansion at the maxillary first molars (M1) and first premolars (P1) was 6.56 ± 1.70 mm and 4.19 ± 1.29 mm, respectively. The expansion was 60.4 ± 20.1% skeletal, 8.1 ± 27.6% alveolar, and 31.6 ± 20.1% dental at M1 and 92.2 ± 14.5% skeletal, 0.0 ± 18.6% alveolar, and 7.8 ± 17.7% dental at P1, which was both statistically (p < 0.001) and clinically significant. Buccal dental tipping (3.88 ± 3.92° M1; 2.29 ± 3.89° P1), clinical crown height increase (0.12 ± 0.31 mm M1; 0.04 ± 0.22 mm P1), and buccal bone thinning (− 0.31 ± 0.49 mm M1; − 0.01 ± 0.45 mm P1) were observed, while root resorption could not be evaluated.ConclusionsMARPE by application of D-MED manifested its efficacy in a prospective clinical setting, delivering a high amount of skeletal expansion with limited side-effects in late adolescents and adults.Clinical relevanceHigher quality evidence is supportive of MARPE as a safe and successful non-surgical treatment option for transverse maxillary deficiency.

Cross-sectional geometry of the femoral diaphyseal cortical bones: analysis of central mass distribution.

A detailed analysis of differences in skeletal shape among many individuals is expected to reveal the mechanical significance behind various morphological features. To confirm the distribution of the cortical bone region in cross sections, the relative position of the central mass distribution (CMD) of the cortical bone region to the CMD of the entire cross section was examined. A total of 90 right human femoral skeletons were examined using clinical multi-slice computed tomography. For nine cross sections of each femur, we determined the CMD of the whole area, including both cortical bone and medullary areas, as CMD-W, and that of the cortical bone region in the same cross section as CMD-C, and they were compared. The medial and anterior portion of the cortex was relatively thick just below the lesser trochanter. The posterior cortical bone tended to be relatively thick in the region from the center to the distal part of the diaphysis. Females had a significantly more medially deviated CMD than males throughout the entire diaphysis. These results suggest that femurs with advanced cortical bone thinning tend to have a concentration of cortical bone in their medial portion. CMD-C was located farther from the diaphysis axis as the degree of medial bending increased. Conversely, the greater the lateral bending of the diaphysis, the closer CMD-C was to the diaphysis axis. As the amount of bone decreases with age, self-adjustment could occur so that the cortical bone's critical area remains to prevent a decrease in mechanical strength.

Manual Therapy Facilitates Homeostatic Adaptation to Bone Microstructural Declines Induced by a Rat Model of Repetitive Forceful Task.

The effectiveness of manual therapy in reducing the catabolic effects of performing repetitive intensive force tasks on bones has not been reported. We examined if manual therapy could reduce radial bone microstructural declines in adult female Sprague–Dawley rats performing a 12-week high-repetition and high-force task, with or without simultaneous manual therapy to forelimbs. Additional rats were provided 6 weeks of rest after task cessation, with or without manual therapy. The control rats were untreated or received manual therapy for 12 weeks. The untreated TASK rats showed increased catabolic indices in the radius (decreased trabecular bone volume and numbers, increased osteoclasts in these trabeculae, and mid-diaphyseal cortical bone thinning) and increased serum CTX-1, TNF-α, and muscle macrophages. In contrast, the TASK rats receiving manual therapy showed increased radial bone anabolism (increased trabecular bone volume and osteoblast numbers, decreased osteoclast numbers, and increased mid-diaphyseal total area and periosteal perimeter) and increased serum TNF-α and muscle macrophages. Rest, with or without manual therapy, improved the trabecular thickness and mid-diaphyseal cortical bone attributes but not the mineral density. Thus, preventive manual therapy reduced the net radial bone catabolism by increasing osteogenesis, while rest, with or without manual therapy, was less effective.

A Preliminary Study on the Effects of Black Cohosh Preparations on Bone Metabolism of Rat Models With GnRH-a-Induced Peri-Menopausal Symptoms.

A Preliminary Study on the Effects of Black Cohosh Preparations on Bone Metabolism of Rat Models With GnRH-a-Induced Peri-Menopausal Symptoms.

Usefulness of an Additional Filter Created Using 3D Printing for Whole-Body X-ray Imaging with a Long-Length Detector.

We recently developed a long-length detector that combines three detectors and successfully acquires whole-body X-ray images. Although the developed detector system can efficiently acquire whole-body images in a short time, it may show problems with diagnostic performance in some areas owing to the use of high-energy X-rays during whole-spine and long-length examinations. In particular, during examinations of relatively thin bones, such as ankles, with a long-length detector, the image quality deteriorates because of an increase in X-ray transmission. An additional filter is primarily used to address this limitation, but this approach imposes a higher load on the X-ray tube to compensate for reductions in the radiation dose and the problem of high manufacturing costs. Thus, in this study, a newly designed additional filter was fabricated using 3D printing technology to improve the applicability of the long-length detector. Whole-spine anterior–posterior (AP), lateral, and long-leg AP X-ray examinations were performed using 3D-printed additional filters composed of 14 mm thick aluminum (Al) or 14 mm thick Al + 1 mm thick copper (Cu) composite material. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and radiation dose for the acquired X-ray images were evaluated to demonstrate the usefulness of the filters. Under all X-ray inspection conditions, the most effective data were obtained when the composite additional filter based on a 14 mm thick Al + 1 mm thick Cu material was used. We confirmed that an SNR improvement of up to 46%, CNR improvement of 37%, and radiation dose reduction of 90% could be achieved in the X-ray images obtained using the composite additional filter in comparison to the images obtained with no filter. The results proved that the additional filter made with a 3D printer was effective in improving image quality and reducing the radiation dose for X-ray images obtained using a long-length detector.

Morbid Constellation of Osseous and Vascular Abnormalities in a Female Patient with Congenital Central Hypoventilation/Overgrowth Syndrome

Background: Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS), is a condition characterized by ventilatory impairment that results in arterial hypoxemia. Studies revealed that the vast majority of patients with CCHS are free from any associated pulmonary, cardiac or brainstem pathologies. Material and Methods: F.R is a 20 -year-old- Austrian-girl presented in my consultation seeking advice for her unpleasant clinical history. In her early life, seizures were the first serious clinical presentation. Followed later on with hypertension, bouts of respiratory dysfunction and impairment of consciousness. In 2019 she underwent surgical intervention to remove a 2 cm hamartoma (posterior upper aspect of the right thigh). Few years later, another hamartoma on the ventral side of the tongue has been identified as well. Early on, she received the diagnosis of Mediterranean fever syndrome and the geneticist encountered homozygosity to the MEFV M694V mutation as the reason behind the constellation of the current unpleasant symptomatology. Later on a presumptive diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome-hypermobile type has been suggested in other Medical Institutions. We proceeded with our documentation via clinical and radiological phenotypic characterizations. Results: Clinical examination showed growth above the 97th percentile (overgrowth) with no specific facial dysmorphic features. She manifested generalized ligamentous hyper laxity. Her ligamentous hyperlaxity was compatible with 6 points out of 9 in correlation with Beighton scoring test. On the bases of skeletal survey; lateral skull radiograph showed features of mastoid and temporal bone characterized with extensive-pneumatization. Axial CT scan shows bilateral hyper-pneumatization of the temporal bones, demonstrating expansion of aerial spaces with loss of the bony trabeculae and thinning of the mastoid bone. Mastoid cells appear to be in communication with a large intracranial epidural air cavity in the temporal and parietal regions. Reformatted CT scan of temporal bone, through coronal and axial images, at the level of the cavum tympani and the mastoid, showed a defect in the right tegmen appeared as cloudy/ opaque lesions around the cavum and the surrounding air cells. Contrast- enhanced computed CT angiography of the cervical and cerebral vasculature showed unusual malalignment and spiral twisting along several vascular segments resulted in the mal-development of basilar artery stenosis without atherosclerosis. The current patient manifested overgrowth syndromic entity with a constellation of osseous and vascular abnormalities resulted in a clinical course of congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. Conclusion: The etiology behind the extension of pneumatization has most likely occurred because of defective ossification of the occipito-mastoid synchondrosis . The reason behind the extension of pneumatization into the occipital and parietal bone is probably due to incomplete closure of the occipito-mastoid synchondrosis, lambdoid and sagittal sutures, which usually close in early adulthood and later, even at the age of thirties. In our patient, we postulate that the history of multiple hamartomas and abnormal vascular phenotype in conjunction with extensive hyper-pneumatization of the skull were the main etiology behind her unpleasant course of her devastating ailment regardless the genetic results. Our impression is neither Mediterranean fever syndrome nor Ehlers-Danlos syndrome seem compatible with her current constellation of osseous and vascular abnormalities. The overall clinical and imaging findings are highly likely in connection with either one of the different types of overgrowth syndromes or might be a novel syndromic association. We believe that congenital central hypoventilation is a symptom complex rather than a diagnostic entity.

Possibilities of periodontal condition control during orthodontic planning and movement of teeth

Relevance. Modern literature reports various side effects and functional and anatomical disorders in periodontal tissues, up to pathologic tooth migration in 32-50% of cases associated with orthodontic tooth movement. The development of new diagnosis capabilities for periodontal tissue condition monitoring and types of orthodontic appliances in the appearance and progression of the pathology of tooth-supporting apparatus is currently relevant. Purpose. To increase the objectivity and periodontium condition control degree during the planning and orthodontic tooth movement. Material and methods. A prospective randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted, which, based on inclusion and non-inclusion criteria, included 60 patients aged 25-35 years and allocated them to groups with healthy (2) and damaged (1) periodontium for orthodontic treatment of malocclusion. Orthodontic appliances for the comparison groups were identical (aligners, buccal and lingual passive self-ligating brackets). Prior to the orthodontic treatment, we determined the alveolar bone thickness by the patients’ CTs superimposed on the program for digital modelling of the result; and estimated the optical bone density in Hounsfield units (HU). Clinical parameters for periodontium condition assessment – the simplified oral hygiene index (OHI-S), the Russel and CPITN periodontal indices, and gingival recession level – were determined before the treatment, after the active periodontal treatment, including resection surgery (in group 1), and after the orthodontic treatment in the c omparison groups. Results . After the orthodontic treatment, group 1 patients experienced fewer periodontal complications – 42%, versus 54% in group 2, with initially healthy periodontium with a thin alveolar bone; 18% and 23% - with a thick alveolar bone. The aligner subgroup demonstrated the best results – 16% and 18% for groups 1 and 2, respectively; the worst result was in the lingual brackets subgroup – 50% and 55%, respectively. Gingival recession was the most common periodontal complication. The method of patient CT scan evaluation by superimposition on the digital modelling of the final result allo wed the achievement of orthodontic treatment success. Conclusion . The increase in the objectivity of examination and orthodontic treatment planning, and the ability to control the alveolar bone condition, allows moving the teeth to the desired position with a minimum of side effects and complications.