Is micro-computed tomography useful for wear assessment of ceramic femoral heads? A preliminary evaluation of volume measurements

Abstract

Background: Wear associated with hip components represents the main clinical problem in these patients, and it is important to develop new techniques for more accurate measurements of that wear. Currently, the gravimetric method is the gold standard for assessing mass measurements in preclinical evaluations. However, this method does not give other information such as volumetric loss or surface deviation. This work aimed to develop and validate a new technique to quantify ceramic volume loss from in vitro experiments using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Methods: An alumina (BIOLOX® forte) femoral head (Ø = 28 mm) was used. Mass and volume loss were approached by gravimetric method (using a four decimal place digital microbalance) and by using Skyscan 1176 microtomographic system, respectively. Results: Standard error and coefficient of variance of both gravimetric and experimental groups demonstrated the reliability of the micro-CT analysis technique. Conclusions: In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggest that this new protocol could be considered an important tool for wear assessment and that we have found a reliable metrological protocol for volumetric analysis of ceramic femoral head prostheses, demonstrating that the micro-CT technique can be an important tool for wear assessment.