Micro x-ray Computed Tomographic Analysis of Porous Orbital Implants

Abstract

 

Purpose:

 

The aim of this study is to fully characterize, in 3-D, thephysical properties of different commercially available porousorbital implants.

 

Methods:

 

BioEye Coralline (Integrated Orbital Implants, San Diego, USA),MedPor and MedPor Bioglass (Porex, USA), Aluminium Oxide andSynthetic Hydroxyapatite (Ceramisys, Sheffield, UK) implantswere utilized in the study. Micro x-ray computed tomographic(MicroCT) analysis was performed using a high resolution Skyscansystem (Skyscan 1174, Skyscan, Belgium). A Skyscan suppliedsoftware package was used for processing the image datasets.Pore sizes were obtained performing morphometrical calculations.Porosity was calculated from the object volume and the totalvolume. An in-house developed interconnectivity algorithm wasused to quantify the accessible space (interconnectivity) ofthe implants.

 

Results:

 

Results are summarised in Table 1: and Figure 1:  

 

 

Conclusions:

 

The present study demonstrates significant variation in poresize and porosity between the different implants. The greatestvariation being shown in the porous polyethylene (Medpor) implants.Coral, alumina oxide and synthetic hydroxyapatite demonstratedmost consistent pore size as well as being the most porous.There was significant variability in interconnectivity betweenthe different porous implants. These differences may accountfor variations in rate of fibrovascular ingrowth.

 

Keywords: imaging/image analysis: non-clinical • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • computational modeling