20/20 Imaging Unveils Digital Penning Analysis Tool for Cervical Spine Evaluation

20/20 Imaging, a division of Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas Inc., has introduced a digital tool to streamline Penning Analysis, a method to document a patient’s range of motion. Penning Analysis is considered to be the most widely accepted and utilized method for determining flexion/extension motion in a patient’s cervical spine. However, it is a time-consuming, manual process using extension and flexion radiographic films to measure the degree of motion between each segment of the cervical spine and occiput. 20/20 Imaging developed the digital Penning Analysis tool for the Opal-Chiro Digital Retrofit DR solution in collaboration with Daniel Lyons, DC, a chiropractor, author and educator committed to advancing chiropractic methodologies.
 
“Penning analysis is an integral aspect of evaluating neck and spine injuries by quantifying range of motion,” Dr. Lyons explained. “If I can’t measure the patient’s motion due to an injury, then I can’t manage it. With the digital Penning Analysis from 20/20 Imaging, my workflow is reduced by 75 to 80 percent; a 15 to 20 minute process can now take as little as three to five minutes.”
 
Penning analysis is a proven method for identifying irregular or pathological problems including hyper and hypomobility of the cervical spine. It is often used in personal injury and worker’s compensation cases as well as to determine whether chiropractic care has resolved the injury/issue.
 
Once the digital images are acquired and sent to Opal-Chiro, the user selects the tool and annotates the image with the key areas to measure. The software automatically calculates the patient’s range of motion, including flexion to neutral and neutral to extension. Normal values derived from peer reviewed literature are provided for comparison and any deviations are listed, including percent difference. The software also provides alteration of motion segment integrity (AOMSI), an American Medical Association validated method for locating, substantiating and objectively demonstrating the severity of spinal subluxation and any accompanying soft tissue damage.
 
“On every personal injury case I accept, I have used Penning Analysis to determine the extent of the injury and if AOMSI is present,” said Darby Campbell, DC, chiropractor and co-owner of Campbell Chiropractic in Centennial, Colo. “Prior to using the 20/20 Penning Analysis tool, this took much longer to complete. This new tool is fast, convenient, and when you’re done it is also visually stunning, which can go a long way when presenting information to a patient or attorney.”