Standing CT: the latest and best foot scanning technology

Is your local clinic making use of standing CT scan technology yet? In an exclusive interview with Top Doctors, leading trauma and orthopaedic surgeon Mr Matthew Solan explains why this new device is a huge advance in diagnosing foot and ankle problems to deliver the best-quality treatment.

How is a standing CT scan different to a normal CT scan?

In a normal CT scanner , you lie down inside and radiation is passed through your whole body. A standing CT scan is different in that just your feet and ankles are scanned while you stand up in the scanner.

This has two main benefits:

• it can give images of how the feet and ankle look with weight upon them
• it achieves this with a very low dose of radiation. Nobody should have too many x-rays because they cause tiny amounts of tissue damage. A conventional CT scan results in quite a lot of radiation exposure. The standing CT scanner gives 3D pictures with roughly the same low dose of radiation as 2D X-rays.

In summary - a standing CT scan provides better information, more safely.

Why does it provide better information?

For a foot and ankle specialist, the most important aspect of diagnosis is to understand how the bones and joints of your foot look when you actually use them. This means we need to take images of your feet while you are standing. Unfortunately, for the past 20 years the only imaging technology that could be used in a standing position was an X-ray. This was useful but only provided 2D images.

The standing CT scanner allows – for the first time – 3D images of your foot and ankle bones and joints in the functional, standing, position. This is a huge advance in the diagnosis of foot and ankle problems, as we can now see exactly how your movement and functionality might be affected by your condition.

It is not surprising that foot and ankle specialists are so excited about this new scanner.

What conditions or injuries can a standing CT scanner be used for?

All conditions affecting the foot and ankle. A standing CT scan shows the bones and joints, highlighting arthritis and fractures. It also shows the posture of the foot and ankle, which is relevant for assessing pain from tendons and other soft tissues. There are not many complaints where a standing CT is not useful!

What if I get pain from standing up?

Notify your doctor. You only need to stand for a short period of time (the scan takes less than a minute), and you may be able to rest your feet on the floor whilst seated for the scan. Occasionally a different type of scan may be preferable.

Is the standing CT scan safe?

Yes - a very low dose of radiation, compared to an ordinary CT scan, is a key advantage.

The standing CT scan is also safer than standing 2D X-rays, because to take these pictures you usually need to stand on an awkward step in different positions. For the standing CT scan you are standing still and safe for the short duration of the scan.