Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Emerging Ideas: Soft Tissue Applications of Radiostereometric Analysis

  • Emerging Ideas
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

Currently, the movement that occurs at the site of soft tissue repair cannot be measured accurately in vivo. Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) is the gold standard for measuring movement between two skeletal segments in vivo but its application to studying soft tissue migration has been limited by the unknown stability of tantalum beads in tendons and ligaments and their ability to define rigid bodies in these structures.

Hypothesis

RSA can be used to accurately measure movement between two tendon segments or between a bony and a tendon segment in vivo.

Methods of Study

The stability of tantalum beads and the ability to use such beads to define rigid bodies in some soft tissues will be investigated in animal models of tendon repair. Several tantalum bead insertion techniques will be tested using in vivo RSA measurements of bead movement followed by morphologic studies of the repaired tendon and soft tissue reaction to the tantalum beads.

Significance

RSA performed on tantalum beads encapsulated in muscles and tendons could be a powerful new tool to study the in vivo motion at the site of soft tissue repairs, for instance, the tendon gap formation. If RSA could be used to evaluate the efficiency of different tendon repair techniques in vivo, enhanced rehabilitation protocols could be developed and complications associated with prolonged protection or failure of repair could be reduced.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2A–C
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adam F, Pape D, Schiel K, Steimer O, Kohn D, Rupp S. Biomechanical properties of patellar and hamstring graft tibial fixation techniques in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: experimental study with roentgen stereometric analysis. Am J Sports Med. 2004;32:71–78.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Alberius P. Bone reactions to tantalum markers: a scanning electron microscopic study. Acta Anat. 1983;115:310–318.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Arai Y, Hara K, Takahashi T, Urade H, Minami G, Takamiya H, Kubo T. Evaluation of the vascular status of autogenous hamstring tendon grafts after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in humans using magnetic resonance angiography. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2008;16:342–347.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Aronson AS, Jonsson N, Alberius P. Tantalum markers in radiography: an assessment of tissue reactions. Skeletal Radiol. 1985;14:207–211.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bragdon CR, Malchau H, Yuan X, Perinchief R, Karrholm J, Borlin N, Estok DM, Harris WH. Experimental assessment of precision and accuracy of radiostereometric analysis for the determination of polyethylene wear in a total hip replacement model. J Orthop Res. 2002;20:688–695.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Cashman PM, Baring T, Reilly P, Emery RJ, Amis AA. Measurement of migration of soft tissue by modified Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA): validation of a new technique to monitor rotator cuff tears. J Med Eng Technol. 2010;34:159–165.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Chehade MJ, Solomon LB, Callary SA, Benveniste SH, Pohl AP, Howie DW. Differentially loaded radiostereometric analysis to monitor fracture stiffness: a feasibility study. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2009;467:1839–1847.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Downing MR, Ashcroft PB, Johnstone AJ, Bach O, Mackenzie S, Ashcroft GP. Assessment of inducible fracture micromotion in distal radial fractures using radiostereometry. J Orthop Trauma. 2008;22(suppl):S96–S105.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Festa A, Mulieri PJ, Newman JS, Spitz DJ, Leslie BM. Effectiveness of magnetic resonance imaging in detecting partial and complete distal biceps tendon rupture. J Hand Surg Am. 2010;35:77–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Friden T, Ryd L, Lindstrand A. Laxity and graft fixation after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament: a roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis of 11 patients. Acta Orthop Scand. 1992;63:80–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Haut Donahue TL, Howell SM, Hull ML, Gregersen C. A biomechanical evaluation of anterior and posterior tibialis tendons as suitable single-loop anterior cruciate ligament grafts. Arthroscopy. 2002;18:589–597.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Jorn LP, Friden T, Ryd L, Lindstrand A. Simultaneous measurements of sagittal knee laxity with an external device and radiostereometric analysis. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1998;80:169–172.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Karrholm J. Roentgen stereophotogrammetry. Review of orthopedic applications. Acta Orthop Scand. 1989;60:491–503.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Karrholm J, Gill RH, Valstar ER. The history and future of radiostereometric analysis. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2006;448:10–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Karrholm J, Selvik G, Elmqvist LG, Hansson LI. Active knee motion after cruciate ligament rupture: stereoradiography. Acta Orthop Scand. 1988;59:158–164.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Karrholm J, Selvik G, Elmqvist LG, Hansson LI, Jonsson H. Three-dimensional instability of the anterior cruciate deficient knee. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1988;70:777–783.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Khan R, Konyves A, Rama KR, Thomas R, Amis AA. RSA can measure ACL graft stretching and migration: development of a new method. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2006;448:139–145.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Khan RJ, Yao F, Li M, Nivbrant B, Wood D. Capsular-enhanced repair of the short external rotators after total hip arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2007;22:840–843.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Madanat R, Moritz N, Larsson S, Aro HT. RSA applications in monitoring of fracture healing in clinical trials. Scand J Surg. 2006;95:119–127.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. O’Driscoll SW, Goncalves LB, Dietz P. The hook test for distal biceps tendon avulsion. Am J Sports Med. 2007;35:1865–1869.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Roos PJ, Hull ML, Howell SM. How cyclic loading affects the migration of radio-opaque markers attached to tendon grafts using a new method: a study using roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA). J Biomech Eng. 2004;126:62–69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Sckell A, Leunig M, Fraitzl CR, Ganz R, Ballmer FT. The connective-tissue envelope in revascularisation of patellar tendon grafts. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1999;81:915–920.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Selvik G. Roentgen stereophotogrammetry: a method for the study of the kinematics of the skeletal system. Acta Orthop Scand Suppl. 1989;232:1–51.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Smith CK, Hull ML, Howell SM. Migration of radio-opaque markers injected into tendon grafts: a study using roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA). J Biomech Eng. 2005;127:887–890.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Solomon LB, Lee YC, Callary SA, Beck M, Howie DW. Anatomy of piriformis, obturator internus and obturator externus: implications for the posterior surgical approach to the hip. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2010;92:1317–1324.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Stähelin T, Drittenbass L, Hersche O, Miehlke W, Munzinger U. Failure of capsular enhanced short external rotator repair after total hip replacement. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004;420:199–204.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank our ORS mentors Drs D. W. Howie and D. M. Findlay and the entire faculty of the 5th ORS Grant Writing Workshop, February 2009, Las Vegas, NV, for the educational value in building this project. We also thank K. Fraser and Dr Z. Gu for helping with the preliminary results reported in this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Level 4 Bice Building, RAH, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia

    Lucian B. Solomon MD, PhD, FRACS & Stuart A. Callary BAppSc

Authors
  1. Lucian B. Solomon MD, PhD, FRACS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Stuart A. Callary BAppSc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucian B. Solomon MD, PhD, FRACS.

Additional information

Each author certifies that he or she has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

Each author certifies that his or her institution approved the animal protocol for this investigation and that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research.

About this article

Cite this article

Solomon, L.B., Callary, S.A. Emerging Ideas: Soft Tissue Applications of Radiostereometric Analysis. Clin Orthop Relat Res 469, 1512–1516 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-010-1681-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-010-1681-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation