Conventional radiostereometric analysis (RSA) for wear is not possible in patients with tantalum cups. We propose a novel method for wear analysis in tantalum cups. Wear was assessed by gold standard RSA and the novel method in total hip arthroplasty patients enrolled in a randomized controlled trial receiving either titanium or tantalum cups (n=46). The novel method estimated the center of the head using a model based on identification of two proximal markers on the stem and knowledge of the stem/head configuration. The novel method was able to demonstrate a pattern of wear that was similar to the gold standard in titanium cups. The novel method offered accurate assessment and is a viable solution for assessment of wear in studies with tantalum cups.
Keywords: conventional polyethylene; highly cross-linked polyethylene; novel method for wear measurement; polyethylene wear; radiostereometric analysis (RSA); total hip replacement.
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