A Comparative Analysis between Ultrasonometry and Computer-Aided Tomography to Evaluate Bone Healing

Author(s)

Barbieri, Giuliano ^[1] ; Mazzer, Nilton ^[1] ; Ribeiro, Eduardo Alvarez ^[1] ; Nogueira-Barbosa, Marcello Henrique ^[1] ; Barbieri, Claudio Henrique ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Biomech Med & Rehabil Locomotor Apparatus, Ribeirao Preto Sch Med, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH; v. 30, n. 7, p. 1076-1082, JUL 2012.
• Web of Science Citations: 8

Abstract

An ultrasonometric and computed-tomographic study of bone healing was undertaken using a model of a transverse mid-shaft osteotomy of sheep tibiae fixed with a semi-flexible external fixator. Fourteen sheep were operated and divided into two groups of seven according to osteotomy type, either regular or by segmental resection. The animals were killed on the 90th postoperative day and the tibiae resected for the in vitro direct contact transverse and axial measurement of ultrasound propagation velocity (UV) followed by quantitative computer-aided tomography (callus density and volume) through the osteotomy site. The intact left tibiae were used for control, being examined in a symmetrical diaphyseal segment. Regular osteotomies healed with a smaller and more mature callus than resection osteotomies. Axial UV was consistently and significantly higher (p?=?0.01) than transverse UV and both transverse and axial UV were significantly higher for the regular than for the segmental resection osteotomy. Transverse UV did not differ significantly between the intact and operated tibiae (p?=?0.20 for regular osteotomy; p?=?0.02 for resection osteotomy), but axial UV was significantly higher for the intact tibiae. Tomographic callus density was significantly higher for the regular than for the resection osteotomy and higher than both for the intact tibiae, presenting a strong positive correlation with UV. Callus volume presented an opposite behavior, with a negative correlation with UV. We conclude that UV is at least as precise as quantitative tomography for providing information about the healing state of both regular and resection osteotomy. (C) 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:10761082, 2012 (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 07/56422-0 - Ultrasonometric evaluation of bone healing and cortical bone density
• Grantee: Claudio Henrique Barbieri
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants