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CT of the musculoskeletal system: What is left is the days of MRI?

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Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays a central role in the modern imaging of musculoskeletal disorders, due to its ability to produce multiplanar images and characterise soft tissues accurately. However, computed tomography (CT) still has an important role to play, not merely as an alternative to MRI, but as being the preferred imaging investigation in some situations. This article briefly reviews the history of CT technology, the technical factors involved and a number of current applications, as well as looking at future areas where CT may be employed. The advent of ever-increasing numbers of rows of detectors has opened up more possible uses for CT technology. However, diagnostic images may be obtained from CT systems with four rows of detectors or more, and their ability to produce near isotropic voxels and therefore multiplanar reformats.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Colney Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7UY, United Kingdom

    A. T. H. West & T. J. Marshall

  2. Department of Radiology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, P. O. Box 219, Hills Rd, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, United Kingdom

    P. W. Bearcroft

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  1. A. T. H. West
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  2. T. J. Marshall
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Correspondence to A. T. H. West.

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West, A.T.H., Marshall, T.J. & Bearcroft, P.W. CT of the musculoskeletal system: What is left is the days of MRI?. Eur Radiol 19, 152–164 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-1129-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-008-1129-0

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