Cervical spine trauma often results from road traffic collisions, physical assault and leisure-related injuries [1]. Helical multidetector CT (MDCT) is the preferred primary imaging modality [2]. Modern MDCT scanners offer high accuracy in detecting fractures compared to plain radiography, with reduced imaging time and less patient manipulation [3]. Radiation risks can be reduced by covering the smallest spinal length necessary, with this length being determined by the clinical need for clear investigation of all potential risk areas. However, there appears to be a growing trend...

1.Test phantom design For our feasibility study a phantom was built incorporating parts of a retired human teaching spine. The phantom consisted of a series of cervical vertebrae, surrounded by rubber balloons containing tissue equivalent material in a water filled polypropylene water bath. The seven cervical vertebrae selected for the in vitro work are included in Figure 1. The vertebrae were modified by making small osteotomies in order to simulate bony changes. The osteotomies were made using a disc bone saw. The sizes of the...

1. Test phantom study C3 C5 C6 Photograph (refer to) Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Anatomy Vertebral body Vertebral body Pedicle Cut position RHS Middle LHS Cut width (±0.25 mm) 1.0 0.5 0.5 Limiting mA 60-80 N/A 20 Feature image (refer to) Fig. 5 N/A Fig. 6 Table 1. Locations and sizes of vertebral osteotomies (C = cervical, LHS = left hand side, RHS = right hand side, mA = tube current). Three different simulated cortical lesions were created, scanned and assessed. For two...

Preliminary indications are that image assessments of bony changes with a high degree of confidence can be achieved with the radiation dose reduced by up to a factor of two. The strong positive correlations between the total confidence scores and the tube current used, combined with substantial inter-reviewer agreement, meant that images suitable for assessment were generated by tube currents of 60-80 mA. When the TCM tube current table ranges were found to be set to high values and further measurements were made with lower...

Stuart Meeson PhD, Radiology Group (8-years), Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford MRI Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; [email protected] Steven D Turnbull MSc, formerly Radiology Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford MRI Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK. Rajesh Patel PhD, formerly Radiology Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford MRI Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK. Stephen J Golding MA FRCR, Radiology Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical...

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