Researchers developed an automated method to measure bone mineral density from CT scans already used to plan Mako robotic-assisted knee arthroplasty, potentially giving surgeons more information when deciding between cemented and cementless implants, according to a June study published in Osteoarthritis Imaging.
The study analyzed 6,111 CT scans used for knee arthroplasty planning. Researchers found the bone density estimates from the existing scans closely matched measurements from a commercial calibration system in a subset of 133 scans.
The approach could allow surgeons to assess bone quality using imaging already obtained before robotic-assisted knee replacement, which may help inform implant selection in patients with lower bone density.
The authors cautioned that the method was developed and tested on a single scanner. They said larger, multisite studies are needed before the approach can be more broadly applied.
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