ShEEP Request for Two Digital Radiography (DR) Flat Panels

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ABSTRACT Seven Investigators from the RR&D Center for Limb Loss and MoBility (CLiMB) are requesting funds to augment their existing biplane fluoroscopy system. This system will support a variety of projects that are working towards the Center’s core mission of improving the quality of life and functional status of both Veterans who are at risk for lower extremity amputation, and Veterans and service members who have undergone lower extremity amputation. CLiMB’s Biplane Fluoroscopy Laboratory (Bldg. 101, room GW11) is a 750 sq ft space in which resides the Biplane Fluoroscopy System and our custom analysis software, Constellation. A pair of X-ray imaging systems concurrently record bone motion of the foot while a research subject performs functional tasks. The major components of each of the two X-ray arms are: A) an X-ray tube (Model G-1082, Varex Imaging, Salt Lake City, UT), B) a 40 cm X-ray image intensifier (Model TH 9447, Thales Electron Devices, Moirans, France), C) a high- voltage X-ray generator (Epsilon, EMD Technologies, Quebec, Canada), D) a telescoping ceiling-mounted tube crane (HALO, CORElabs, Englewood, CO), E) an X-ray beam collimator (Model R 225, Ralco Medical Components, El Dorado Hills, CA), and F) a high-speed video camera (Phantom v641, Vision Research, Wayne, NJ). A custom timing module ensures that these two systems generate pulsed (up to 150 frames/second) or continuous X-rays synchronously. The system was mostly designed and developed by Imaging Systems and Service, Inc (Painesville, OH), with our group contributing the walkway and image intensifier stand designs. For this ShEEP proposal, we aim to augment the biplane system by effectively temporarily replacing the IIs and high speed video cameras with two digital radiography (DR) flat panels (Varex XRD 43X43 R/F) with custom support stands, grids, and protective holders. The DR panels will also require some custom software development. We will be purchasing the upgraded system hardware and software from Imaging Systems and Service, Inc., who also provided the existing biplane system hardware. The DR panels will allow for the easy reconfiguration of the biplane laboratory to study lower limbs for such pathologies as transtibial or transfemoral amputations, knee osteoarthritis, or distal femur fractures. The biplane fluoroscopy system will support a number of projects that span the Center’s research portfolio, including: 1) trans-tibial socket fit; 2) trans-femoral socket fit; 3) trans-femoral contralateral knee arthritis; 4) knee mechanics during backpack loading; and 5) distal femur fracture site motion.