Metallic Artifact Reduction in Midfacial CT Scans Using Patient-Specific Polymer Implants Enhances Image Quality

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Biomaterials Science
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Background:

• Midfacial reconstruction often uses bone grafts or implants.
• Titanium implants are common but cause CT imaging artifacts.
• These artifacts complicate treatment planning and follow-up.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate polymer implants for reducing CT metallic artifacts.
• To compare image quality between titanium and polymer midfacial implants.
• To assess the impact on diagnostic imaging for tumor resection cases.

Main Methods:

• Implanted titanium (n=1) and polymer (n=12) zygomatic implants in a human skull specimen.
• Analyzed streak and blooming artifacts using Hounsfield Unit values.
• Assessed overall image quality and compared materials using statistical tests.

Main Results:

• Titanium and hydroxyapatite polymers showed significantly more streak artifacts.
• No significant difference in blooming artifacts was observed between materials.
• Polymer implants resulted in slightly better image quality than titanium.

Conclusions:

• Personalized polymer implants effectively reduce metallic artifacts in CT imaging.
• Improved image quality facilitates postoperative radiation therapy planning.
• Polymer implants enhance radiological tumor aftercare around midfacial reconstructions.