Metal implants on abdominal CT: does split-filter dual-energy CT provide additional value over iterative metal artifact reduction?

Purpose: To assess image quality and metal artifact reduction in split-filter dual-energy CT (sfDECT) of the abdomen with hip or spinal implants using virtual monoenergetic images (VMI) and iterative metal artifact reduction algorithm (iMAR).

Methods: 102 portal-venous abdominal sfDECTs of patients with hip (n = 71) or spinal implants (n = 31) were included in this study. Images were reconstructed as 120kVp-equivalent images (Mixed) and VMI (40-190 keV), with and without iMAR.

Zoledronic acid is more efficient than ibandronic acid in the treatment of symptomatic bone marrow lesions of the knee.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy and tolerability of different antiresorptive therapeutic regimens for treating symptomatic bone marrow lesions (BML) of the knee.

Methods: Patient records of 34 patients with radiologically diagnosed, painful BML of the knee treated with either a bisphosphonate (zoledronic, ibandronic, or alendronic acid) or with a human monoclonal antibody (denosumab) were retrospectively evaluated. Response to treatment was assessed, as change in patient-reported pain, by evaluation of BML expansion on MRI using the Whole-Organ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (WORMS), and by laboratory analysis of bone turnover markers: C-terminal cross-linking telopeptide (CTx) and procollagen type 1 amino-terminal propeptide (P1NP).

The rib cage stabilizes the human thoracic spine: An in vitro study using stepwise reduction of rib cage structures.

The stabilizing effect of the rib cage on the human thoracic spine is still not sufficiently analyzed. For a better understanding of this effect as well as the calibration and validation of numerical models of the thoracic spine, experimental biomechanics data is required. This study aimed to determine (1) the stabilizing effect of the single rib cage structures on the human thoracic spine as well as the effect of the rib cage on (2) the flexibility of the single motion segments and (3) coupled motion behavior of the thoracic spine.