Clinical applications of a computed tomography color “marrow mapping” algorithm to increase conspicuity of nondisplaced trabecular fractures

PurposeTo explore clinical applications of a novel conventional computed tomography (CT) color post-processing algorithm to increase conspicuity of nondisplaced trabecular fractures.Materials and methodsThe algorithm was created in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Extendscript, utilizing DICOM images from conventional CT as source images. A total of six representative cases were selected and processed. No statistical analyses were performed.ResultsA total of six cases are demonstrated, five with MRI correlation demonstrating corresponding fractures and bone marrow edema, including a case of sacral insufficiency fracture, two cases of vertebral body fracture, two cases of nondisplaced hip fracture, and a knee bone marrow edema lesion (without MRI correlate). All cases were processed successfully without error.ConclusionsA conventional CT color post-processing algorithm may be clinically useful in increasing conspicuity of nondisplaced fractures and bone marrow edema. A potential pitfall is the presence of subchondral or marrow sclerosis, which may mimic edema. Future prospective studies will be necessary to evaluate diagnostic performance.

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