Percutaneous foot joint needle placement using a C-arm flat-panel detector CT.

Purpose: Image guidance is valuable for diagnostic injections in foot orthopaedics. Flat-detector computed tomography (FD-CT) was implemented using a C-arm, and the system was tested for needle guidance in foot joint injections.

Methods: FD-CT-guided joint infiltration was performed in 6 patients referred from the orthopaedic department for diagnostic foot injections. All interventions were performed utilising a flat-panel fluoroscopy system utilising specialised image guidance and planning software. Successful infiltration was defined by localisation of contrast media depot in the targeted joint. The pre- and post-interventional numeric analogue scale (NAS) pain score was assessed.

Results: All injections were technically successful. Contrast media deposit was documented in all targeted joints. Significant relief of symptoms was noted by all 6 participants.

Conclusions: FD-CT-guided joint infiltration is a feasible method for diagnostic infiltration of midfoot and hindfoot joints. The FD-CT approach may become an alternative to commonly used 2D-fluoroscopically guidance.