True 3D Weight Bearing CT Imaging for Foot and Ankle

Foot and ankle surgery is a sub-specialty of orthopedics and podiatry that deals with the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of disorders of the foot and ankle. For the first time, physicians can get three-dimensional, weight bearing images of the foot and ankle with the pedCAT system. The pedCAT uses cone beam volumetric tomography to reconstruct the foots bony anatomy in its true physiological position within minutes. The pedCAT is a compact device that requires minimal radiation shielding, which means it could fit in a primary care podiatrist's office as easily as it could in a large imaging center. The pedCAT is manufactured by CurveBeam. CurveBeam was founded in 2009 with the primary mission of adapting cone beam volumetric tomography technology to imaging all body extremities. Over the past decade, CBVT has revolutionized oral and maxillofacial care. Three-dimensional scans of the skull have become an essential tool in diagnosis and treatment planning, especially for orthodontics and dental implants. The pedCAT is expected to transform the fundamentals of diagnostic imaging for the foot and ankle specialty by providing an ideal starting point to evaluate and treat a patients foot condition. The pedCAT is easy to use for both the doctor and the patient. The patient steps onto a platform and the gantry closes behind him. The physician pushes a single button, and the pedCAT scans one foot in less than 20 s or both feet in less than 40 s in weight bearing or non-weight bearing positioning. The manufacturer estimates the radiation dose delivered to the patient to be slightly higher than a similar plain X-ray. CubeVue, the accompanying software, stitches together the slices to create an exact digitized replica of the foot and ankle in less than three minutes. Using CubeVue, the physician can get an unobstructed view of the foot from any angle, rotate and navigate the 3D data, and make exact measurements. The physician can scroll through the slices, which can be as thin as 3 mm, in any direction. The pedCAT? , first in-office TRUE 3D weight bearing CT for the foot and ankle, helps optimize treatment planning for our patients. Via this low dose radiation option, the pedCAT? assesses clinical conditions including, but not limited to, fractures, dislocations, arthritic joints, deformity and for quicker diagnosis, evaluation and treatment planning. The patient experience benefits include: in-office and on-site compact imaging; TRUE weight bearing and non-weight bearing 3D imaging for one or both feet; capture unprecedented diagnostic information not seen in regular x- rays; easy to use visualization software that adds a new dimension to diagnosis and evaluation; fast acquisition of 3D data allows you to start your treatment planning in minutes; If needed, we can confidently plan surgeries with precision and speed.