Arthrography of the joint
The minimally invasive imaging test, referred to as arthrography-CT, is a specialized examination performed in a small number of clinics in Poland, including PP Diagnostyka. This method uses X-rays, as in classic X-ray, but in CT the tube-detector system moves in a circular motion around the area under examination, thus producing a three-dimensional image of tissues and organs with much greater diagnostic sensitivity than a cluster X-ray.
Course of the CT arthrography examination
Typically, no contrast is required for bone imaging, and patients with joint problems are diagnosed with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. However, there are cases in which a patient has absolute contraindications to MR; in such cases, doctors decide to perform CT arthrography, where (as in arthrography-MR), a diluted shadowing agent, so-called contrast, is administered intrathecally, through a needle that the radiologist inserts into the joint cavity under the control of an ultrasound (US) machine. After the substance is injected, the patient is referred for a CT scan. The injection of the shadowing agent causes the joint to swell, which greatly facilitates the evaluation of joint structures and allows patients who are excluded from the possibility of an MRI scan to receive treatment. Those with severe claustrophobia can also be referred to CT, where the camera, due to its shorter gantry (the inside of the camera), makes it possible to perform the procedure.
The most commonly performed joint in an arthro-CT scan is the shoulder (shoulder).
Preparation for the study
No special preparation is needed for the test, the amount of shadowing agent is very small compared to classic CT examinations. It is not necessary to be fasting or to determine the creatinine level and eGFR when performing this examination. It is necessary, as for any CT and ionizing radiation examination, to bring a current referral for the examination in question, specifying that the attending physician is requesting a CT arthrography of the joint in question.
Contraindications to performing an arthro – CT examination
- allergy to iodine
- pregnancy, or suspected pregnancy
- possibility of performing arthro-MR
- Serious systemic diseases (it is at the discretion of the radiologist performing the injection)