Conventional x-rays often fall short at identifying new cases of osteoarthritis—by the time the disease is evident in the images, the case is already advanced. However, weight-bearing CT scans (WBCT), which captures 3D images while the patient is standing, can yield more detailed images of how joints flex and shift as they work. And now researchers believe WBCT may be useful at catching signs of developing osteoarthritis earlier.

“X-rays are the flip-phones of imaging, while CT scans are the smartphones offering a comprehensive and multi-faceted look at not just the bone, but the whole joint.

“… weight-bearing CT scans can detect things like cysts, meniscal extrusions, bone shape and space between the joint, features that radiography would have otherwise missed.

“The implications of this knowledge are far-reaching, allowing for speedier research trials and the forecast of hip or knee replacements with accuracy.”

Read more at Market Scale. Read more about WBCT at EFORT Open Reviews.

Featured image: 3D Xray / CT image of the human foot