Cone beam CT in the imaging of musculoskeletal trauma: A scoping review
Smith, J.R. Bharath, B.K. Mallinson, M.A. Mason, K.
Smith, J.R.
Bharath, B.K.
Mallinson, M.A.
Mason, K.
Publication Date
2025-05-14
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© 2025 The Authors. Published by Springer Nature. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
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openAccess
Accepted for publication
2025-05-04
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Abstract
Introduction
Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is an emerging technology in musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging. The objective of this scoping review was to provide an overview of the research surrounding CBCT utility in bony injury assessment as an alternative to other imaging modalities and investigate any gaps in the current evidence base.
Methods
MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PubMed were searched up to January 2025 for articles including CBCT studies on human participants following trauma. An online literature review tool was used to manage and streamline the review process.
Results
The search yielded 23 studies. The image quality and diagnostic accuracy of CBCT were high overall, and a number of studies confirmed the radiation dose to be lower than multislice CT. Studies examined CBCT for extremity trauma, with half the studies focused solely on the wrist. The utility appears greatest in the identification of radiographically occult fractures. Limited cost-effectiveness analysis has been undertaken.
Conclusions
Overall, the literature suggests CBCT can be an effective tool in the diagnosis of bony injuries with greater sensitivity than radiography at a lower radiation dose than multi-slice computed tomography. However, evaluation of wider patient and economic impacts of adopting CBCT in MSK trauma pathways is recommended.
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Citation
Smith JR, Bharath BK, Mallinson MA, et al (2025) Cone beam CT in the imaging of musculoskeletal trauma: A scoping review. Skeletal Radiology. Accepted for publication.
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Article