Konica Minolta Healthcare Applauds Study on Dynamic Digital Radiography in Shoulder Arthroplasty

Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas, Inc. has recognized the researchers at Emory Healthcare, led by Eric R. Wagner, MD, MS, and Sameer Khawaja, MD, from Baylor College of Medicine, for their study titled "Total Shoulder Arthroplasty and Scapulohumeral Rhythm: The clinical impact of achieving native shoulder mechanics," published in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.

This research investigates the role of scapulohumeral rhythm (SHR) in patients who have undergone total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) and its correlation to patient outcomes. The innovative use of Dynamic Digital Radiography (DDR) was pivotal in assessing SHR among a significant cohort of patients. According to the study, improved SHR, characterized by less scapular compensation, positively correlates with higher patient-reported outcome measures three years following surgery.

The investigation involved 85 patients, including 27 who underwent anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties (aTSA) and 58 who received reverse total shoulder arthroplasties (rTSA). Results indicated that patients exhibiting lower SHR were more likely to experience adverse postoperative outcomes, including increased pain and diminished shoulder functionality.

The researchers suggest that incorporating DDR for measuring SHR could enhance clinical practices, enabling targeted rehabilitation and ongoing postoperative monitoring, thus improving patient outcomes by replicating native shoulder mechanics following TSA.

Dr. Wagner stated, "These findings underscore the potential value of DDR measures, such as SHR, in assessing function and integrating such parameters into preoperative planning and postoperative monitoring. DDR enables us to visualize actual shoulder kinematics during movement and provides a validated, reliable assessment of in vivo SHR within a busy clinical environment."

Dr. Khawaja added that, "Prior to DDR, in-vivo shoulder kinematics was not possible to assess in a clinical setting, previously reserved for the laboratory setting exclusively. In our clinic, every shoulder patient now receives a DDR evaluation before and after intervention, as we have found the information it provides for pre-surgical planning and post-operative monitoring is invaluable for helping to improve patient outcomes."

This study builds upon their previous work using DDR to evaluate SHR, where it is noted that DDR offers a valid and effective alternative to advanced 3D modeling techniques for kinematic analysis. DDR captures critical information in an efficient manner and can be implemented in an outpatient setting using conventional imaging equipment.

John Sabol, PhD, Clinical Research Manager at Konica Minolta Healthcare, commented, "With this research, Drs. Wagner, Khawaja and team have been able to use DDR to assess SHR and thus directly measure the impact of mechanical function on patient outcomes in shoulder arthroplasty. DDR is the first technology that enables efficient measurement of SHR in the routine clinical setting."

References:

1. Khawaja, et al. Dynamic digital radiography is a valid and reliable alternative to 3 Dimensional registration for scapulohumeral rhythm analysis. JSES International, 2026; 10.