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Purpose: The assessment of low-contrast-details is a part of the quality control (QC) program in digital radiology. It generally consists of evaluating the threshold contrast (Cth) detectability details for different-sized inserts, appropriately located in dedicated QC test tools. This work aims to propose a simplified method, based on a statistical model approach for threshold contrast estimation, suitable for different modalities in digital radiology., Methods: A home-madelow-contrast phantom, made of a central aluminium insert with a step-wedge, was assembled and tested. The reliability and robustness of the method were investigated for Mammography, Digital Radiography, Fluoroscopy and Angiography. Imageswere analysed using our dedicated software developed on Matlab®. TheCth is expressed in the same unit (mmAl) for all studied modalities., Results: This method allows the collection of Cthinformation from different modalities and equipment by different vendors, and it could be used to define typical values. Results are summarized in detail. For 0.5 diameter detail, Cthresults are in the range of: 0.018-0.023 mmAl for 2D mammography and 0.26-0.34 mmAl DR images. For angiographic images, for 2.5 mm diameter detail, the Cths median values are 0.55, 0.4, 0.06, 0.12 mmAl for low dose fluoroscopy, coronary fluorography, cerebral and abdominal DSA, respectively., Conclusions: The statistical method proposed in this study gives a simple approach for Low-Contrast-Details assessment, and the typical values proposed can be implemented in a QA program for digital radiology modalities., (Copyright © 2021 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM considers interventional radiology to be a special practice involving high doses of radiation and requiring strict monitoring to ensure the best quality assurance programs. This work reports the early experience of managing dose data from patients undergoing angiography in a multicentre study., Materials and Methods: The study was based on a survey of about 15,200 sample procedures performed in 21 Italian hospitals centres involved on a voluntary basis. The survey concerned the collection of data related to different interventional radiology procedures: interventional cardiology, radiology, neuroradiology, vascular surgery, urology, endoscopy and pain therapy from a C-Arm and fixed units. The analysis included 11 types of procedures and for each procedure, air-kerma, kerma-area product and fluoroscopy time were collected., Results: The duration and dose values of fluoroscopic exposure for each procedure is strongly dependent on individual clinical circumstances including the complexity of the procedure; the observed distribution of patient doses was very wide, even for a specified protocol. The median values of the parameters were compared with the diagnostic reference levels (DRL) proposed for some procedures in Italy (ISTISAN) or internationally. This work proposes local DRL values for three procedures., Conclusion: This first data collection serves to take stock of the situation on patient's dosimetry in several sectors and is the starting point for obtaining and updating DRL recalling that these levels are dependent on experience and technology available., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) was used to investigate the stability of the tibial component in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Twenty patients were implanted with a Howmedica Duracon UNI prosthesis (Limerick, Ireland) and studied for an average follow-up of 30 months. In most cases, the displacements detected at 1-year follow-up were small (ie, not exceeding 0.5 mm for translations and not exceeding 1.0 degrees for rotations). Only 1 patient showed signs of mechanical loosening as the prosthesis continued to migrate, reaching 3.2 mm of total motion at 4-year follow-up. RSA did not show any deformation in the polyethylene except for the case of loosening. The clinical results were excellent and good according to the Hospital for Special Surgery scoring system. No correlation was found among demographic, clinical, and RSA data., (Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.)

We assessed the migration and movement between the half-bearings of the Interax prosthesis in 18 patients using roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA). This study showed movements of the tibial component even in successful knee arthroplasty: 17 prostheses migrated only initially and remained stable after 1 year, whereas 1 prosthesis migrated consistently throughout 3-year follow-up. RSA revealed no or minimal displacement between the half-bearings until the 4-year follow-up, confirming that their fixation to the baseplate was adequate. In the case of loosening, a rotation about the longitudinal axis of 1.3 degrees and a medial-lateral translation of 0.5 mm was observed between the half-bearings. Cold flow was revealed by RSA in the posterior region of the medial half-bearing.

In six cadaver specimens the mobility of the proximal fibula in relation to the tibia was investigated during plantar/dorsiflexion of the ankle, using Roentgen Stereophotogrammetric Analysis (RSA). The role of the ankle joint, and of the calcaneofibular and talofibular ligaments was also evaluated. The greatest movements were observed along the mediolateral and anterior-posterior axes, resulting in an anterolateral displacement of the fibula head during dorsiflexion and in a postero-medial displacement during plantarflexion. This study demonstrated a limited mobility of the proximal tibiofibular joint. Moreover, the ligament cutting and the presence of constraints in the ankle region did not show any effect on the fibular movement.

Roentgen Stereophotogrammetric Analysis (RSA) has been applied to different kinds of research in order to obtain important information in the biomechanics field. Operative requirements change according to the type of investigation and sometimes practical conditions do not always permit one to respect standard specifications. The aim of this paper is to verify the reliability of the system under non-standard conditions, studying the effects of the focus-to-film distance on the determination of 3D co-ordinates of markers. The application of statistical analysis, consisting of two and three way ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA), showed that focus-to-film distance is not a significant source of variation, i.e., the system can correctly compute the marker position inside the calibrated space under all conditions of magnification. Since we obtained a fluctuation due to focal distance change of 10(-5) mm (LSD for 95% confidence level), we can assert that this source causes a variation strictly within the limits required by clinical investigations. Thus, this study contributes to improving the flexibility of RSA in clinical applications, making the technical requirements of the radiographic set-up less constraining.