Direct traction device for wrist magnetic resonance (MR) imaging

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Radiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Wrist magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be limited by joint space narrowing.
• Assessing intrinsic wrist structures and detecting lesions can be challenging due to limited visibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel direct wrist traction device for wrist MRI.
• To assess its effects on joint distraction, structure visibility, and patient comfort.

Main Methods:

• 34 healthy subjects underwent wrist MRI with and without the traction device.
• Joint space width, cartilage and ligament visibility, and lesion detection were assessed.
• Patient-reported pain was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Main Results:

• Mean joint space width increased by 0.7 mm with traction (P < 0.001).
• Articular cartilage visibility improved significantly at multiple radiocarpal and midcarpal joints (P < 0.001).
• Intrinsic ligament and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) lesion detection showed improvement; 62% reported no pain during traction.

Conclusions:

• The direct wrist traction device effectively distracts the wrist joint.
• It potentially enhances visualization of articular cartilage and improves detection of intrinsic ligament and TFCC lesions.
• The device demonstrates good wearability with minimal reported pain.