Computed tomography imaging manifestations of commonly used materials in posttraumatic craniofacial repair
Michael J Reiter1, Ryan B Schwope, Jonathan A Kini
1From the *Department of Radiology, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX; †Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD; and ‡Department of Otolaryngology, Brooke Army Medical Center, San Antonio, TX.
Abstract:
An expansive array of materials exists within the armamentarium of craniofacial surgeons. For patients undergoing repair of posttraumatic injuries, computed tomography is the imaging modality of choice in the postoperative setting. Therefore, radiologists will invariably encounter implants constructed with various materials, depending on the surgeon's preference. The appearance of these materials on computed tomography is broad, ranging from hyperdense to radiolucent. To avoid misdiagnosis, radiologists should be familiar with all of the materials currently in use.
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