Injuries of Football Players Assessed Using CBCT Systems

Physicians treating football players at the 2016 US National Football League Scouting Combine are using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) systems to assess players' injuries.

CBCT systems can be used to capture weight-bearing images of injuries to the knees, legs, feet, arms, hands, and other extremities. The system can improve visualization of bone, and soft tissue, and uses less radiation than existing Computed Tomography (CT) systems. CBCT systems are intended for use in orthopedic practices for sports medicine, and other imaging and treatment facilities.

Physicians at the 2016 NFL Combine are using the new Carestream DRX Plus 3543 detector together with existing Carestream’s Digital X-ray systems, and can capture diagnostic images within several seconds. Carestream Health (Rochester, NY, USA) provides dental and medical imaging systems, and IT solutions. Carestream has also designed a new 3D extremity imaging system that can detect injuries of athletes. The OnSight 3D Extremity System (presently not marketed - available for investigational use only) uses CBCT technology and can capture images of extremities, including weight-bearing exams The system is currently undergoing trials and research studies by UBMD Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine (Williamsville, NY, USA) and the US Erie County Medical Center (ECMC; Buffalo, NY, USA).

Jianqing Bennett, president of Carestream Digital Medical Solutions, said, “We are working closely with leading orthopedic specialists, sports medicine physicians and athletic trainers to develop compact, portable imaging systems based on CBCT technology that are designed for use in treating orthopedic conditions, including traumatic injuries, joint replacements, arthritis and osteoporosis.”

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