Abstract. Introduction. Precision health aims to develop personalised and proactive strategies for predicting, preventing, and treating complex diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease affecting over 300 million people worldwide. Due to OA heterogeneity, which makes developing effective treatments challenging, identifying patients at risk for accelerated disease progression is essential for efficient clinical trial design and new treatment target discovery and development. Objectives. This study aims to create a trustworthy and interpretable precision health tool that predicts rapid knee OA progression based on baseline patient characteristics using an advanced automated machine learning (autoML) framework, “Autoprognosis 2.0”. Methods. All available 2-year follow-up periods of 600 patients from the FNIH OA Biomarker Consortium were analysed using “Autoprognosis 2.0” in two separate approaches, with distinct definitions of clinical outcomes: multi-class predictions (categorising patients into non-progressors, pain-only progressors, radiographic-only progressors, and both pain and radiographic progressors) and binary predictions (categorising patients into non-progressors and progressors). Models were developed using a training set of 1352 instances and all available variables (including clinical, X-ray, MRI, and biochemical features), and validated through both stratified 10-fold cross-validation and hold-out validation on a testing set of 339 instances. Model performance was assessed using multiple evaluation metrics, such as AUC-ROC, AUC-PRC, F1-score, precision, and recall. Additionally, interpretability analyses were carried out to identify important predictors of rapid disease progression. Results. Our final models yielded high accuracy scores for both multi-class predictions (AUC-ROC: 0.858, 95% CI: 0.856–0.860; AUC-PRC: 0.675, 95% CI: 0.671–0.679; F1-score: 0.560, 95% CI: 0.554–0.566) and binary predictions (AUC-ROC: 0.717, 95% CI: 0.712–0.722; AUC-PRC: 0.620, 95% CI: 0.616–0.624; F1-score: 0.676, 95% CI: 0.673–0679). Important predictors of rapid disease progression included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores and MRI features. Our models were further successfully validated using a hold-out dataset, which was previously omitted from model development and training (AUC-ROC: 0.877 for multi-class predictions; AUC-ROC: 0.746 for binary predictions). Additionally, accurate ML models were developed for predicting OA progression in a subgroup of patients aged 65 or younger (AUC-ROC: 0.862, 95% CI: 0.861–0.863 for multi-class predictions; AUC-ROC: 0.736, 95% CI: 0.734–0.738 for binary predictions). Conclusions. This study presents a reliable and interpretable precision health tool for predicting rapid knee OA progression using “Autoprognosis 2.0”. Our models provide accurate predictions and offer insights into important predictors of rapid disease progression. Furthermore, the transparency and interpretability of our methods may facilitate their acceptance by clinicians and patients, enabling effective utilisation in clinical practice. Future work should focus on refining these models by increasing the sample size, integrating additional features, and using independent datasets for external validation. Declaration of Interest. (b) declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported:I declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project

Aims. Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) is theoretically more accurate for component positioning than TKA performed with mechanical instruments (M-TKA). Furthermore, the ability to incorporate soft-tissue laxity data into the plan prior to bone resection should reduce variability between the planned polyethylene thickness and the final implanted polyethylene. The purpose of this study was to compare accuracy to plan for component positioning and precision, as demonstrated by deviation from plan for polyethylene insert thickness in measured-resection RA-TKA versus M-TKA. Methods. A total of 220 consecutive primary TKAs between May 2016 and November 2018, performed by a single surgeon, were reviewed. Planned coronal plane component alignment and overall limb alignment were all 0° to the mechanical axis; tibial posterior slope was 2°; and polyethylene thickness was 9 mm. For RA-TKA, individual component position was adjusted to assist gap-balancing but planned coronal plane alignment for the femoral and tibial components and overall limb alignment remained 0 ± 3°; planned tibial posterior slope was 1.5°. Mean deviations from plan for each parameter were compared between groups for positioning and size and outliers were assessed. Results. In all, 103 M-TKAs and 96 RA-TKAs were included. In RA-TKA versus M-TKA, respectively: mean femoral positioning (0.9° (SD 1.2°) vs 1.7° (SD 1.1°)), mean tibial positioning (0.3° (SD 0.9°) vs 1.3° (SD 1.0°)), mean posterior tibial slope (-0.3° (SD 1.3°) vs 1.7° (SD 1.1°)), and mean mechanical axis limb alignment (1.0° (SD 1.7°) vs 2.7° (SD 1.9°)) all deviated significantly less from the plan (all p < 0.001); significantly fewer knees required a distal femoral recut (10 (10%) vs 22 (22%), p = 0.033); and deviation from planned polyethylene thickness was significantly less (1.4 mm (SD 1.6) vs 2.7 mm (SD 2.2), p < 0.001). Conclusion. RA-TKA is significantly more accurate and precise in planning both component positioning and final polyethylene insert thickness. Future studies should investigate whether this increased accuracy and precision has an impact on clinical outcomes. The greater accuracy and reproducibility of RA-TKA may be important as precise new goals for component positioning are developed and can be further individualized to the patient. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(6 Supple A):74–80

Precision health aims to develop personalised and proactive strategies for predicting, preventing, and treating complex diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA). Due to OA heterogeneity, which makes developing effective treatments challenging, identifying patients at risk for accelerated disease progression is essential for efficient clinical trial design and new treatment target discovery and development. To create a reliable and interpretable precision health tool that predicts rapid knee OA progression over a 2-year period from baseline patient characteristics using an advanced automated machine learning (autoML) framework, “Autoprognosis 2.0”. All available 2-year follow-up periods of 600 patients from the FNIH OA Biomarker Consortium were analysed using “Autoprognosis 2.0” in two separate approaches, with distinct definitions of clinical outcomes: multi-class predictions (categorising disease progression into pain and/or radiographic progression) and binary predictions. Models were developed using a training set of 1352 instances and all available variables (including clinical, X-ray, MRI, and biochemical features), and validated through both stratified 10-fold cross-validation and hold-out validation on a testing set of 339 instances. Model performance was assessed using multiple evaluation metrics. Interpretability analyses were carried out to identify important predictors of progression. Our final models yielded higher accuracy scores for multi-class predictions (AUC-ROC: 0.858, 95% CI: 0.856-0.860) compared to binary predictions (AUC-ROC: 0.717, 95% CI: 0.712-0.722). Important predictors of rapid disease progression included WOMAC scores and MRI features. Additionally, accurate ML models were developed for predicting OA progression in a subgroup of patients aged 65 or younger. This study presents a reliable and interpretable precision health tool for predicting rapid knee OA progression. Our models provide accurate predictions and, importantly, allow specific predictors of rapid disease progression to be identified. Furthermore, the transparency and explainability of our methods may facilitate their acceptance by clinicians and patients, enabling effective translation to clinical practice

Aims. The Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) is a 12-item measure commonly used for the assessment of shoulder surgeries. This study explores whether computerized adaptive testing (CAT) provides a shortened, individually tailored questionnaire while maintaining test accuracy. Methods. A total of 16,238 preoperative OSS were available in the National Joint Registry (NJR) for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the States of Guernsey dataset (April 2012 to April 2022). Prior to CAT, the foundational item response theory (IRT) assumptions of unidimensionality, monotonicity, and local independence were established. CAT compared sequential item selection with stopping criteria set at standard error (SE) < 0.32 and SE < 0.45 (equivalent to reliability coefficients of 0.90 and 0.80) to full-length patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) precision. Results. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for unidimensionality exhibited satisfactory fit with root mean square standardized residual (RSMSR) of 0.06 (cut-off ≤ 0.08) but not with comparative fit index (CFI) of 0.85 or Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) of 0.82 (cut-off > 0.90). Monotonicity, measured by H value, yielded 0.482, signifying good monotonic trends. Local independence was generally met, with Yen’s Q3 statistic > 0.2 for most items. The median item count for completing the CAT simulation with a SE of 0.32 was 3 (IQR 3 to 12), while for a SE of 0.45 it was 2 (IQR 2 to 6). This constituted only 25% and 16%, respectively, when compared to the 12-item full-length questionnaire. Conclusion. Calibrating IRT for the OSS has resulted in the development of an efficient and shortened CAT while maintaining accuracy and reliability. Through the reduction of redundant items and implementation of a standardized measurement scale, our study highlights a promising approach to alleviate time burden and potentially enhance compliance with these widely used outcome measures. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(8):392–400

MicroRNA (miR) delivery to regulate chronic inflammation hold extraordinary promise, with new therapeutic possibilities emanating from their ability to fine-tune multiple target gene regulation pathways which is an important factor in controlling aberrant inflammatory reactions in complex multifactorial disease. However, several hurdles have prevented advancements in miR-based therapies. These include off-target effects of miRs, limited trafficking, and inefficient delivery. We propose a magnetically guided nanocarrier to transport therapeutically relevant miRs to assist self- resolving inflammation processes at injury sites and reduce the impact of chronic inflammation- related diseases such as tendinopathies. The high prevalence, significant socio-economic burden and increasing recognition of dysregulated immune mediated pathways in tendon disease provide a compelling rationale for exploring inflammation-targeting strategies as novel treatments in this condition. By combining cationic polymers, miR species (e.g., miR 29a, miR155 antagonist), and magnetic nanoparticles in the form of magnetoplexes with highly efficient magnetofection procedures, we developed inexpensive, easy-to-fabricate, and biocompatible systems with competent miR-binding and fast cellular uptake into different types of human cells, namely macrophages and tendon-derived cells. The system was shown to be cell-compatible and to successfully modulate the expression and production of inflammatory markers in tendon cells, with evidence of functional pro-healing changes in immune cell phenotypes. Hence, magnetoplexes represent a simple, safe, and non-viral nanoplatform that enables contactless miR delivery and high- precision control to reprogram cell profiles toward improved pro-regenerative environments. Acknowledgements: ERC CoG MagTendon No.772817; FCT Doctoral Grant SFRD/BD/144816/2019, and TERM. RES Hub (Norte-01-0145-FEDER-022190)

Introduction. Re-revision due to instability and dislocation can occur in up to 1 in 4 cases following revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). Optimal placement of components during revision surgery is thus critical in avoiding re-revision. Computer-assisted navigation has been shown to improve the accuracy and precision of component placement in primary THA; however, its role in revision surgery is less well documented. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of computer-assisted navigation on component placement in revision total hip arthroplasty, as compared with conventional surgery. Methods. To examine the effect of navigation on acetabular component placement in revision THA, we retrospectively reviewed data from a multi-centre cohort of 128 patients having undergone revision THA between March 2017 and January 2019. An imageless computer navigation device (Intellijoint HIP®, Intellijoint Surgical, Kitchener, ON, Canada) was utilized in 69 surgeries and conventional methods were used in 59 surgeries. Acetabular component placement (anteversion, inclination) and the proportion of acetabular components placed in a functional safe zone (40° inclination/20° anteversion) were compared between navigation assisted and conventional THA groups. Results. Mean inclination decreased post-operatively versus baseline in both the navigation (44.9°±12.1° vs. 43.0°±6.8°, p=0.65) and control (45.8°±19.4° vs. 42.8°±7.1°, p=0.08) groups. Mean anteversion increased in both study groups, with a significant increase noted in the navigation group (18.6°±8.5° vs. 21.6°±7.8°, p=0.04) but not in the control group (19.4°±9.6° vs. 21.2°±9.8°, p=0.33). Post-operatively, a greater proportion of acetabular components were within ±10° of a functional target (40° inclination, 20° anteversion) in the navigation group (inclination: 59/67 (88%), anteversion: 56/67 (84%)) than in the control group (49/59 (83%) and 41/59, (69%), respectively). Acetabular component precision in both study groups improved post-operatively versus baseline. Variance in inclination improved significantly in both control (50.6° vs. 112.4°, p=0.002) and navigation (46.2° vs. 141.1°, p<0.001) groups. Anteversion variance worsened in the control group (96.3° vs. 87.6°, p=0.36) but the navigation group showed improvement (61.2° vs. 72.7°, p=0.25). Post-operative variance amongst cup orientations in the navigation group (IN: 46.2°; AV: 61.2°) indicated significantly better precision than that observed in the control group (IN: 50.6°, p=0.36; AV: 96.3°, p=0.04). Discussion. Re-revision is required in up to 25% of revision THA cases, of which 36% are caused by instability. This places a significant burden on the health care system and highlights the importance of accurate component placement. Our data indicate that the use of imageless navigation in revision THA – by minimizing the likelihood of outliers – may contribute to lower rates of re-revision by improving component orientation in revision THA. Conclusion. Utilizing imageless navigation in revision THAs results in more consistent placement of the acetabular component as compared to non-navigated revision surgeries

Introduction: Navigation increases the precision and reproducibility of reconstruction in THR. It is important for the surgeon to be able to trust the reproducibility of the navigator and that navigated surgery should produce better results than those obtained by the surgeon by himself. The aim of this study is to determine the reproducibility and trustworthiness of a navigation system for acetabular reconstruction and to compare the precision of the navigator with that of the surgeon. Materials and methods: A total of 101 THRs were carried out in 99 patients using image-free navigation. The precision and reproducibility of the navigator were measured with 30 postoperative CT scans. The blind estimates of the surgeons for inclination and anteversion were compared to the values of the navigator; the navigator was as accurate as the surgeon in 101 cases. Results: The precision of the navigator for inclination was 4.4° with a reproducibility of 0.03 and for ante-version it was 4.1° with a reproducibility of 0.73. The precision of experienced surgeons for inclination was 11.5° and 12.3° for anteversion (less experienced surgeons had a precision for inclination of 13.1° and for anteversion of 13.9°). Conclusions: Computer accuracy for the real value of a CT scan is always within 5°. The estimations of the surgeons with mechanical guides, experience and good judgment are about 12 degrees that of the navigation system. However the percentage of values 5° higher than the desired levels in experienced surgeons is seen in about 30% of cases (in less experienced surgeons, in about 50%). The computer can eliminate acetabular malposition to within about 5 degrees for desired values and in this way improve stability and wear

Introduction. Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) is currently the gold standard to measure early prosthetic migration which can predict aseptic loosening. However, RSA has some limitations such as the need for perioperative placed markers and exposure to X-radiation during follow up. Therefore, this study evaluates if low field MRI could be an alternative for RSA. Low field MRI was chosen because it is less hampered by metal artifacts of the prosthesis than high field MRI. Methods. 3D models of both the tibial component of a total knee prosthesis (Genesis II, Smith and Nephew) and the porcine tibia were made. The tibial component was implanted in the tibial bone. Consequently, 17 acquisitions with the low field MRI scanner (Esaote G-scan 0.25T) in transverse direction with a 2D PD weighted metal artifact reducing sequence PD-XMAR (TE/TR 10/1020ms, slice thickness 3mm, FOV 180×180×120 mm³, matrix size 224×224) were made. The first five acquisitions were made without repositioning the cadaver, the second twelve after slightly repositioning the cadaver within limits that are expected to be encountered in a clinical setting. Hence, in these 17 acquisitions no prosthetic-bone motions were induced. The scans were segmented and registered with Mimics. Virtual translation and rotation of the prosthesis with respect to the bone between two scans were calculated using a Procrustes algorithm. The first five scans without repositioning were used to calculate the measurement error, the following twelve to calculate the precision of low field MRI to measure prosthetic migration. Results were expressed as the maximum total point motion, mean error and 95% CI and expressed in boxplots. Results. The error of the method to measure the prosthetic position without repositioning has a mean translation between 0.09 and 0.22mm with a 95%CI between 0.30 and 0.46mm. The mean rotation was between 0.02° and 0.11° with a 95%CI between 0.18° and 0.32° with a MTPM of 0.45mm. The precision of low field MRI to measure migration with repositioning has a mean translation between 0.02 and 0.12mm with a 95%CI between 1.16mm and 1.86mm. The mean rotation was between 0.01° and 0.15° with a 95%CI between 1.78° and 3.26° with a MTPM of 2.35mm. The overall registration error was largest in the distal-proximal direction. Discussion. At the moment the low field MRI technique is not as accurate as this gold standard RSA. The accuracy of RSA varies between 0.05 and 0.5 mm for translation and 0.15 ° to 1.15 ° for rotation (95% confidence intervals). However, results are comparable with markerless RSA studies. The largest measurement error was found in the distal-proximal direction, which can be explained by the through-plane resolution of 3 mm, which is larger than the in-plane resolution of 0.8×0.8 mm². Future research should focus on improving resolution in the distal-proximal direction which would improve the precision. Moreover, an actual migration study should be performed to proof the true value of this low field MRI base markerless and X-radiation free alternative to measure prosthetic migration

DVC is a novel full-field and contactless measurement technique for calculating displacements and strains inside bones (Grassi and Isaksson 2015) through the comparison of 3D reconstructions (CT, micro-CT, MRI, etc.) from unloaded and loaded samples. Recent in zero-strain tests to estimate the measurement precision by applying a known state of strain (Palanca, Tozzi et al. 2015) suggested that DVC is suitable to identify regions where bone tissue is yielded (i.e. subjected to high strains). Conversely to reliably measure strain in the physiological range a severe compromise with spatial resolution is necessary (Dall'Ara, Barber et al. 2014, Palanca, Tozzi et al. 2015). In order to use DVC to explore the relationship between the local physiological strain and bone microarchitecture, an error lower than 200 microstrain (an order of magnitude lower than the mean strain) and a spatial resolution of the strain measurement lower than 100 μm is required. The aim of this work is to define if, and to what extend, high-quality images obtained by synchrotron radiation micro computed tomography (SR-μCT) improve the precision of a global DVC approach. Cylindrical specimens of cortical and trabecular bone were extracted from a fresh bovine femur and embedded in acrylic resin. Both samples were scanned twice without any repositioning (‘repeated scantest’) at beamline l13–2 of Diamond Light Source (Oxford, UK). 4000 projections of 53 ms exposure were collected via fly-scanning with a CdWO. 4. scintillator-coupled pco.edge 5.5 detector with 4× magnification and an effective pixel size of 1.6μm. Strains were evaluated using a global DVC approach (ShIRT-FE) in two cubic volumes of interest (VOI) of 1,000 voxels in side length, for each specimen, exploring a DVC spatial resolution from 16 to 498 μm. The precision of measurements was evaluated extracting a similar indicator to (Liu and Morgan 2007). Precision improved with decreasing spatial resolution, confirming a trend similar to that obtained with ‘laboratory source’ μCT on similar specimens (Palanca, Tozzi et al. 2015). To obtain a precision of better than 200 microstrains the cortical and trabecular samples required spatial resolutions of 41 and 80 μm respectively. Comparing these results to those of previous studies, where similar specimens were scanned with ‘laboratory source’ μCT (effective voxel size of the order of ten μm) the errors were vastly reduced (approximately one order of magnitude). In fact, in order to obtain a precision of better than 200 microstrain, spatial resolutions of 550 (cortical) and 480 (trabecular) μm were needed (Dall'Ara, Barber et al. 2014). This work showed that using high-quality tomograms obtained by synchrotron radiation μCT decreases the measurement uncertainties of a global DVC approach with respect to those obtained with laboratory source μCT. DVC could therefore be used with μCT data to evaluate displacement and strain in the physiological range with remarkable spatial resolution

Introduction. Restoration of normal hip biomechanics is vital for success of total hip arthroplasty (THA). This requires accurate placement of implants and restoration of limb length and offset. The purpose of this study was to assess the precision and accuracy of computer navigation system in predicting cup placement and restoring limb length and offset. Material and Methods. An analysis of 259 consecutive patients who had THA performed with imageless computer navigation system was carried out. All surgeries were done by single surgeon (KD) using similar technique. Acetabular cup abduction and anteversion, medialisation or lateralisation of offset and limb length change were compared between navigation measurements and follow-up radiographs. Precision, accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were calculated to assess navigation for cup orientation and student t-test used for evaluation of offset and limb length change. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant for evaluation. Results. Mean cup abduction and anteversion was 40.35° (SD, 5.81) and 18.46° (SD, 6.79) in postop radiographs compared to 41° (SD, 5.03) and 14.76° (SD, 6.11) for navigation measurements. Intraoperative navigation measurements had high precision and specificity for determining cup abduction and anteversion (precision >95%, specificity >90%). Accuracy for determining cup abduction was 96.13% compared to 72.2% for cup anteversion. Change in limb length and offset was mean 6.46mm (SD, 5.68) and −1.07mm (SD, 5.75) on radiograph evaluation and 5.41mm (SD, 5.11) and −2.24mm (SD, 5.87) from navigation measurements respectively, the difference being not significant in both (p value > 0.2). Radiograph and navigation had a mean difference of 1.01mm (SD, 2.83) for offset measurements and a mean difference of 1.05mm (SD, 4.37) for postop limb length assessment. Discussion. To the best of our knowledge this is the largest single surgeon study of navigated THA. We found that computer navigation assessment of acetabular cup abduction and anteversion and limb length and offset restoration has high probability of predicting correct placement of implants. To conclude, navigation can serve as an excellent tool for appropriate placement of implants and restoring limb length and offset in THA

Introduction. There is great interest in technologies to improve the accuracy and precision in placing implants for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Malik et al. (J Arthroplasty, 2010) showed that an imageless navigation system could be used to produce accurate measures of acetabular cup alignment compared to a CT-based alignment method using an imaging phantom. In this study we sought to compare the precision of an image-based navigation system with post-operative CT scans in a clinical patient cohort who received navigation-assisted THA. Methods. Eighteen patients with 20 hips consented to this IRB-approved analysis of intra- and post-operative THA cup alignment. All patients received THA with image-assisted alignment (MAKO Surgical, Fort Lauderdale). Nominal cup placement, subject to intraoperative surgeon adjustment and approval, was 40° radiographic inclination (RI) and 20° radiographic anteversion (RA) according to the definitions of Murray (JBJS-Br, 1993). Intraoperative cup alignment was measured by collecting five points on the cup rim with an optically tracked stylus. Postoperative cup alignment was measured by registering pre- and post-operative pelvic models generated from CT scans, and determining the postoperative cup orientation relative to the pre-operative pelvis coordinate system (Figure 1). Repeated measures testing of the CT-based measurements on 10 patient scans showed precision and bias of 0.7° and 0° for radiographic inclination, and 0.6° and 0.1° for radiographic anteversion. Results. Mean cup alignment with navigation and CT was within 1° of the nominal target values (Figure 2). There was not a significant difference in the cup inclination measure between intraoperative and CT-based measures, while the intraoperative measure of anteversion showed a 2° bias compared to the CT-based measures. Using a 5° difference between the intraoperative and postoperative measures as the definition for cup placement outliers, 2 cups (10%) were outliers for inclination and 3 cups (15%) were outliers for anteversion (Figure 3). No cup in this series was an outlier for both inclination and anteversion. Discussion. Optical navigation to confirm cup placement appears to result in relatively few alignment outliers, with no outliers for both angles and no single difference greater than 10°. Although differences between intraoperative and CT-based measures were small, it appears acquisition of a larger number of points on the cup rim could further enhance the precision of the navigation-based surgeon feedback. Consistent with previous studies, cup alignment using optical navigation is more precise than cup alignment using traditional manual methods

Obesity is a risk factor for acetabular malposition when total hip arthroplasty (THA) is performed with manual orientation techniques. However, conflicting evidence exists regarding the usefulness of computer-assisted surgery for performing THA in obese patients. The purpose of this study was to compare the precision and accuracy of imageless navigation for acetabular component placement in obese versus non-obese patients. After institutional review board approval, 459 THA performed for primary hip osteoarthritis were reviewed retrospectively. The same imageless navigation system was used for acetabular component placement in all THA. During surgery the supine anterior pelvic plane was referenced superficially. THA was performed via posterolateral approach in the lateral position. A hemispherical acetabular component was used, with target inclination of 40° and target anteversion of 25°. Computer software was used to determine acetabular orientation on postoperative anteroposterior pelvic radiographs. Obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) were compared to non-obese patients. A 5° difference in mean orientation angles was considered clinically significant. Orientation error (accuracy) was defined as the absolute difference between the target orientation and the measured orientation. Student's t test was used to compare means. Hartley's test compared variances of the mean differences (precision). Fisher exact tests examined the relationship between obesity and component placement in the target zone (target ± 10°) for inclination and version. All statistical tests were two-sided with a significance level of 0.05. Differences in mean inclination and anteversion between obese and non-obese groups were 1.1° (p=0.02 and p=0.08, respectively), and not clinically significant. Inclination accuracy trended toward improvement for non-obese patients (p=0.06). Inclination precision was better for non-obese patients (p=0.006). Accuracy and precision for anteversion were equal between the two groups (p=0.19 and p=0.95, respectively). There was no relationship between obesity and placement of the acetabulum outside of the target ranges for inclination (p=0.13), anteversion (p=0.39) or both (p=0.99), with a trend toward more inclination outliers in obese patients versus non-obese patients (7.3% versus 3.9%). The observed differences in mean acetabular orientation angles were not clinically significant (< 5°), although inclination orientation was less accurate and precise for obese patients. In contrast to existing literature, we found no difference in the accuracy and precision with regard to anteversion in obese and non-obese patients. We propose that accurate superficial registration of landmarks in obese patients is achievable, and the use of imageless navigation likely improves acetabular positioning in obese and non-obese patients

Introduction. RSA is widely accepted as a precise method to asses wear and migration early in the postoperative period. In traditional RSA, one segment defines both the acetabular shell and the polyethylene liner. However, inserting beads into the liner permits employment of the shell and liner as two separate segments, thus enabling distinct analysis of the precision of three measurement methods in determining wear and acetabular shell migration. The purpose of this in vivo follow-up study was to determine if assigning the shell and liner as one combined, or two individual segments affected the precision of RSA measurements of wear and shell stability. Methods. The UmRSA program was used to analyze the double examinations of 51 hips to determine if there was a difference in precision among 3 measurement methods: the shell only, the liner only, and the shell + liner combined segment. Tantalum beads were inserted into the liner and pelvic bone surrounding the shell intraoperatively for the purpose of RSA. Polyethylene wear was measured using point motion of the center of the head with respect to 3 different segments: 1) liner only, 2) the shell only and, 3) shell + liner segment. Cup stability was measured by segment motion comparing the stable pelvic segment to 1) the liner segment, 2) the shell only segment, and 3) the shell + liner segment. The Wilcoxon paired signed-ranks test was used to determine differences in condition number and bead counts among the 3 measurement methods (p ≤0.05). Results. The 95% confidence interval, calculated from double examinations, established the precision of each method. The shell + liner and liner only methods had a precision of 0.03mm when measuring both wear and shell migration. The shell only method precision was 0.07mm when measuring wear and 0.08mm when measuring shell migration, making it the least desirable method. In both the wear and migration analyses, the shell + liner condition number was significantly lower and the bead count was significantly higher than those of the shell only and liner only methods, indicating a superior RSA analysis on all counts compared to the shell only and liner only methods. Discussion. Insertion of beads in the polyethylene improves the precision of wear and shell migration measurements. A greater dispersion and number of beads when combining the liner with the shell generated more reliable results in both analyses by engaging a larger portion of the radiograph. The liner beads also allow measurement of cup rotation of the shell + liner segment, which is not possible when using the shell segment alone, due to the 2D nature of the program's algorithm to detect the edge of the cup. As the prediction of implant survivorship in the early postoperative period relies heavily upon RSA, it is crucial to use the most precise system to monitor these implants and the shell+ liner method meets that standard

This study presents the use of precision surface machining on artificial joint bearing surfaces in order to inhibit macrophage activation. Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is widely used as a bearing material in polymer-on-hard joint prostheses. However, UHMWPE wear particles are considered to be a major factor in long-term osteolysis and implant loosening. Several studies report that wear particle size is a critical factor in macrophage activation, with particles in the size range of 0.1 – 1.0 μm being the most biological active. The surface for a conventional Co-Cr-Mo alloy joint implant generally has a 10.0 – 20.0 nm roughness. After precision machining, the Co-Cr-Mo alloy surface had a 1.0 – 2.0 nm roughness with scattered concave shapes up to 50 nm in depth. This precision surface machining method used a typical lapping method, but the relationship between the slurry and the machining surface was strictly controlled in order to emphasize the micro-erosion mechanism. A pin-on-disc wear tester capable of multidirectional motion was used to verify that the new surface was the most appropriate for joints. Tests were carried out in 25% (v/v) fetal calf serum with sodium azide to retard bacterial growth. UHMWPE pins, 12.0 mm in diameter with a mean molecular weight of 6.0 million, were placed on the Co-Cr-Mo alloy disc at a contact pressure of 6.0 MPa. A sliding speed of 12.1 mm/s, and a total sliding distance of 15.0 km were applied. The new surface reduced the amount of UHMWPE wear, which would ensure the long-term durability of joints. The new surface also enlarged the size of UHMWPE particles, but did not change their morphological aspect. Primary human peripheral blood mononuclear phagocytes were cultured with the particles. The wear particles generated on the new surface inhibited the production of IL-6, which indicates a reduction of induced tissue reaction and joint loosening

Introduction. Radiostereometric Analysis (RSA) is an imaging method that is increasingly being utilized for monitoring fixation of orthopaedic implants in randomized clinical trials. Extensive RSA research has been conducted over the last 35+ years using standard clinical x-ray acquisition modalities that irradiate screen/film media or Computed Radiography (CR) plates. The precision of RSA can depend on a number of factors including modality image quality. Objective. This study assesses the precision of RSA with a novel Digital Radiography (DR) system compared to a CR imaging system using different imaging techniques. Additionally, the study assesses the precision of locating beads embedded in a modified spine pedicle screw. Methods. A modified titanium spinal pedicle screw 4.5 mm diameter, 35 mm length, marked with two 1.0 mm tantalum beads, one inside the head and one near the screw tip was inserted into a bovine tibia segment. Six additional 1.0 mm tantalum beads were inserted into the bone segment superiorly, distally and adjacent to the pedicle screw. The phantom was placed on a standard clinical diagnostic imaging bed above a custom RSA carbon fiber calibration cage (Halifax Biomedical Inc.). A pair of DR or CR imaging plates were placed below the calibration cage and irradiated 8 times at 100, 125 kV at 2.5 mAs. For DR additional test were performed at 150 kV, and again at 100 kV at 0.5 mAs. At the time of abstract submission CR results at these settings were not available. To determine precision, the standard deviation of 3D vector distances between beads was determined using RSA for each of the different imaging parameters. Results. Standard deviations of the inter-bead distances measured in the pedicle screw were 44.4 and 32.1 μm (N=8) respectively for the 100 and 125 kV settings at 2.5 mAs using the DR system, compared to 109.0, 55.8 μm for CR [Fig. 1]. The distances between the bone implanted beads provided standard deviations of 24.4 and 22.7 μm respectively for the 100 and 125 kV settings at 2.5 mAs using the DR system, compared to 33.1 and 33.0 μm with the CR system. Further increasing the photon energy to 150 kV with the DR system reduces the precision error to 22.4 μm in the pedicle screw and remains approximately the same at 21.0 μm in bone. Lowering the mAs while maintaining 100 kV increases the precision error in the pedicle screw (64 μm) and showed no significant difference in bone (24.4 μm). Conclusion. The current phantom design is basic in nature and does not account for any soft tissue scatter. However, initial results indicate a considerable reduction in precision error when using DR compared to CR imaging equipment for RSA analysis. Increasing the kV did not significantly influence the precision in measuring bead locations in bone. For embedded tantalum beads within a titanium pedicle screw, imaging at higher kV values with the described DR imaging system did allow more precise localization. This approach may be useful in assessing the in vivo position of spine or other titanium implants

Aims: To determine the precision of conventional versus computer assisted techniques for positioning the acetab-ular component in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: Using a lateral approach, 150 cups were placed by 10 different surgeons in 10 identical plastic pelvis models. Only the immediate operating þeld was visible. Preoperative planning was performed with a computerized tomographic scan. Fifty cups were placed free hand, 50 others with the standard cup ancillary, and the remaining 50 cups using computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery. The accuracy of cup abduction and ante-version was assessed with an electromagnetic system. Results: Using conventional techniques, free hand placement revealed a mean precision of cup anteversion and abduction of 10¡ [range: 5.5–14] and 3.5¡ [2.5–5] respectively. With the cup positioner, these angles measured 8¡ [5–10.5] and 4¡ [3–5.5] respectively, and using the computer assisted method, the mean cup anteversion precision was 1.5¡ [1–2] and mean cup abduction measured 2.5¡ [2–3.5]. Conclusions: Computer assisted cup placement is a very accurate and reproducible technique during THA. It is clearly more precise than either of the two traditional methods of cup positioning, even for well-trained surgeons

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful diagnostic tool in evaluating meniscus pathology in the knee. Data from available literature suggests sensitivity and specificity rates around 90% when compared to the gold standard findings at knee arthroscopy. We sought to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and precision rate (positive predictive value) of MRI at diagnosing meniscus tears within our unit. A retrospective audit of a total of 79 MRI reports and arthroscopic findings spanning a one year period was carried out. There were 66 positive MRI reports and 13 negative reports. There were 6 false positives 4 false negatives when compared to arthroscopic findings. The sensitivity of MRI for detecting meniscus tears was 93.7% with 60 out of 64 tears detected. All 4 false negatives also had at least grade III osteoarthritic changes at arthroscopy. Specificity was rather low at 60% with MRI reporting 6 tears (false positives) out of 15 patients who had no tears found at arthroscopy. The positive predictive value (precision rate) of MRI detecting tears was 90.9%. This data shows that MRI in our unit has a comparable high sensitivity to that in various literature making it a useful tool at ruling out disease with a negative result in the clinical setting. A more useful parameter in the clinical setting is its high precision rate when faced with a positive result. However, its specificity is much lower than that in most published data. A total of 6 tears on MRI turned out not to be on arthroscopy meaning patients could have been subjected to an avoidable invasive procedure in the absence of any other indication. This highlights the importance of obtaining reports from experienced musculoskeletal radiologists and the need for surgeons to review MRI images and match them to clinical information prior to subjecting patients to surgery

Previous standards for assessing the reliability of a measurement tool have lacked consistency. We reviewed the most current American Society for Testing and Materials and International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) recommendations, and propose an algorithm for orthopaedic surgeons. When assessing a measurement tool, conditions of the experimental set-up and clear formulae used to compile the results should be strictly reported. According to these recent guidelines, accuracy is a confusing word with an overly broad meaning and should therefore be abandoned. Depending on the experimental conditions, one should be referring to bias (when the study protocol involves accepted reference values), and repeatability (sr, r) or reproducibility (SR, R). In the absence of accepted reference values, only repeatability (sr, r) or reproducibility (SR, R) should be provided. Take home message: Assessing the reliability of a measurement tool involves reporting bias, repeatability and/or reproducibility depending on the defined conditions, instead of precision or accuracy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B2:166–72

Our aim was to determine the precision of the measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in the proximal femur before and after implantation of an uncemented implant, with particular regard to the significance of retro- and prospective studies. We examined 60 patients to determine the difference in preoperative BMD between osteoarthritic and healthy hips. The results showed a preoperative BMD of the affected hip which was lower by a mean of 4% and by a maximum of 9% compared with the opposite side. In addition, measurements were made in the operated hip before and at ten days after operation to determine the effect of the implantation of an uncemented custom-made femoral stem. The mean increase in the BMD was 8% and the maximum was 24%. Previous retrospective studies have reported a marked loss of BMD on the operated side. The precision of double measurements using a special foot jig showed a modified coefficient of variation of 0.6% for the non-operated side in 15 patients and of 0.6% for the operated femur in 20 patients. The effect of rotation on the precision of the measurements after implantation of an uncemented femoral stem was determined in ten explanted femora and for the operated side in ten patients at 10° rotation and in 20 patients at 30° rotation. Rotation within 30° influenced the precision in studies in vivo and in vitro by a mean of 3% and in single cases in up to 60%. Precise prediction of the degree of loss of BMD is thus only possible in prospective cross-sectional measurements, since the effect of the difference in preoperative BMD, as well as the apparent increase in BMD after implantation of an uncemented stem, is not known from retrospective studies. The DEXA method is a reliable procedure for determining periprosthetic BMD when positioning and rotation are strictly controlled

Purpose: The accuracy and precision for shoulder radio-stereometric analysis (RSA) is not as well documented as for hip and knee replacement implants. Shoulder replacement glenoid component have a relatively high rate of aseptic loosening when compared to primary hip and knee replacement components. The purpose of this study is to validate our marker based RSA system for a shoulder phantom using computed radiography. Method: A Sawbones humerus was surgically prepared with a total shoulder implant by an experienced orthopaedic surgeon. A pegged glenoid component (3 pegs) previously marked with 7 tantalum beads was cemented into a Sawbones scapula. The glenoid component was mounted to a 32mm thick acrylic plate. The simulated humerus with implant was fixed to a linear translation stage. The stage was able to move in 0.010 mm increments with an accuracy of 0.002 mm. The Humeral component was then incrementally moved along the x, y, and z axis from 0 to 0.050, 0.100, 0.150, 0.200, 1.000 mm with duplicates taken at each increment. This examination was performed a total of 3 times. From these 9 RSA exams, the accuracy and precision of the UmRSA Digital Measure V6.0 RSA system was determined from 90 pairs of linear displacements. Results: The standard deviation of the total average error for the X, Y, Z axis were 0.023, 0.022, and 0.070 mm respectively. The accuracy for phantom shoulder model using computer radiography was 0.008 mm in the medial direction, 0.007 mm in the superior direction and 0.019 mm in the anterior direction. The corresponding precision measurements were 0.005, 0.005, 0.015 mm. Conclusion: This preliminary assessment of accuracy and precision of a shoulder phantom model illustrates that marker based RSA is a useful system to monitor the micro-motion of total shoulder designs