Value of helical CT volume rendering technique in post-operative evaluation of screw in screw fixation of axis fractures

To explore the value of helical CT volume rendering technique (VRT) in post-operative evaluation of screw fixation of axis fractures.Methods There were 21 cases of screw fixation of axis fractures between February 2002 and May 2004 in the study including six cases with fractures on axis body,five on odontoid process and 10 on axis body and odontoid process.All cases received X-ray plain film,helical CT scanning,multi-planar reformatting(MPR) and VRT.Results Screw fixation through axis body and massa lateralis atlantis was performed in 10 cases and that through axis body and odontoid process in 11.VRT could clearly display full aperture of screw orbit,location of screw and angle of fixation and hence was superior to X-ray plain film and MPR.Multi-angle VRT displayed asymmetrical space of odontoid process and massa lateralis atlantis in four cases and medial deviation of 2～5 mm of half screw in screw fixation through axis body and massa lateralis atlantis in six.Conclusion VRT can eliminate false shadow of fixation screw,clearly display full aperture of screw orbit and hence supply improtant imaging evidence for post-operative evaluation of screw fixation of axis fractures.7 refs,1 fig,1 tab.

Virtual Determination of Sex:Estimating Cut off Value of Digital Metric Traits of Foramen Magnum on Three-dimensional Computed Tomography with Receiver Operating Characteristic and Logistic Regression Analysis

Background:Radiological imaging plays a pivotal role in forensic anthropology.As have the imaging techniques advances,so have the digital skeletal measurements inched towards precision.Secular trends of the population keep on changing in modem times.Hence,finding the precise technique of bone measurement,with greater reproducibility,in modem population is always needed in making population specific biological profile.Aim and Objective:The aim of this study was to estimate the accuracy of the foramen magnum measurement,obtained by three dimensional multi-detector computed tomography using volume rendering technique with the cut off value of each variable,in sex determination of an individual.Materials and Methods:Two metric traits,an antero-posterior diameter(APD)and transverse diameter(TD),were measured digitally in an analysis of 130 radiological images having equal proportion of male and female samples.Foramen magnum index and area of foramen magnum(Area by Radinsky's[AR],Area by Teixeira5s[AT])were derived from APD and TD.Results:Descriptive statistical analysis,using unpaired t-test,showed significant higher value in males in all the variables.Using Pearson correlation analysis,maximum correlation was observed between area(AT and AR r=0.999)and between area and TD(AR r=0.955 and AT r=0.945 respectively).When used individually,TD had the highest predictive value(67.7%)for sex detennination among all the parameters followed by AT(65.4%)and AR(64.6%).Cutoff value of variables TD,AR and AT were 29.9 mm,841.80 mm2 and 849.70 mm2 respectively.Receiver operating characteristic curve predicted male and female sex with 96.2%and 89.2%accuracy respectively.The overall accuracy of the model was 92.7%.Conclusion:Measurements from 3D CT using volume rendering technique were precise,and the application of logistic regression analysis predicted the sex with more accuracy.