Image courtesy of CurveBeam
May 14, 2018 — CurveBeam announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its LineUp Multi-extremity weight bearing computed tomography (CT) system.
The compact system enables radiologists and orthopedic specialists to visualize three-dimensional bone detail of the lower extremities while the patient is standing, so anatomy can be assessed while in the "weight bearing" or "load bearing" position. The LineUp can perform bilateral scans of entire legs, from below the heel to above the knee. Accessories permit scanning of the hand, wrist and elbow as well.
The LineUp system can be plugged into a standard wall outlet and has minimal shielding requirements. Radiation dose to the patient is also significantly less than a conventional CT scan.
Weight bearing CT imaging for body extremities became commercially available in 2012. Since then, lower extremity specialists and musculoskeletal radiologists have published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles on the value of three-dimensional weight bearing views for conditions ranging from complex hindfoot misalignment to a routine bunion deformity. Published research also suggests three-dimensional weight bearing views of the knees could be instrumental in early detection of osteoarthritis.
Traditional CT and magnetic resonance (MR) images are acquired in a non-weight bearing position, leading to "missed diagnoses of meniscal damage," according to Neil Segal, M.D., MS, who has been overseeing research efforts using a LineUp prototype, first at the University of Iowa and currently at the University of Kansas.
Although plain radiographs can be acquired while the patient is in a full weight-bearing position, the optimal degree of knee flexion and X-ray beam angulation to best visualize the joint surface is person-specific.
"Difficulty in reproducing the same view of the joint over time impairs ability to detect joint disease, and the 2-D nature of radiographs makes these images of overlapping bony anatomy very insensitive for detecting abnormalities until there is advanced joint damage," Segal said.
CurveBeam introduced the pedCAT system, which permits bilateral weight bearing scans of the feet and ankles, in 2012. Since then, the device has been added to the imaging services of numerous hospital foot & ankle sections, orthopedic clinics and podiatry offices worldwide.
CurveBeam's InReach system for hand, wrist and elbow received FDA clearance in 2017. The system gives specialists the ability to confirm a scaphoid fracture diagnosis or distal radius fracture diagnosis at the point of care.
For more information: www.curvebeam.com
April 16, 2024 
