The pedCAT is a weight-bearing CT scanner that images your foot and ankle while you’re standing — the only position that reveals how your bones and joints actually function. Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists was the first podiatry practice in South Florida to offer this technology, and Dr. Kyle Kinmon explains exactly what that means for patients in the video above.
What is the pedCAT scanner?
The pedCAT is a weight-bearing computerized tomography (CT) imaging machine designed specifically for foot and ankle evaluation. Unlike traditional CT scans, it images your foot while you’re standing under natural body weight.
Why does weight-bearing imaging matter?
Bone alignment and joint spacing change significantly when you stand. A traditional CT taken lying down can miss deformities or instability that only appear under load — which is exactly when patients feel pain.
How long does the scan take?
The pedCAT completes a full 3D scan in under 60 seconds with significantly lower radiation exposure than conventional CT units.
Where is the pedCAT available in South Florida?
CFAS in Boca Raton is the first and only podiatry practice in South Florida to offer the pedCAT scanner. It’s one of only about 50 such systems in the entire United States.
Who benefits most from a pedCAT scan?
Patients with complex or chronic foot and ankle conditions — including deformities, joint pain, tendon issues, and post-surgical evaluation — benefit most from the 3D weight-bearing imaging the pedCAT provides.
What makes weight-bearing CT imaging different?
Traditional CT and X-ray imaging captures your foot while you’re lying down, which removes all body weight from the equation. That matters a lot.
When you stand, your bones shift, joints compress, and the arch flattens or rises depending on your foot structure. Conditions like flatfoot deformity, subtle joint instability, and abnormal bone alignment only show up clearly under load. A non-weight-bearing scan can look entirely normal while the patient experiences significant pain with every step.
The pedCAT solves this. As Dr. Kinmon explains in the video above: “With the advent of weight-bearing CT scans, the surgeon will now be able to more fully evaluate bone structure and joint integrity under the patient’s weight-bearing conditions.” That translates directly into better surgical planning and more accurate diagnosis.
What can the pedCAT detect that standard imaging misses?
The pedCAT produces a full 3D image of your foot and ankle in a single scan — something standard X-rays can’t do and conventional CT only approximates by imaging you at rest.
Conditions where pedCAT provides a meaningful diagnostic advantage:
- Flatfoot deformity and adult-acquired flatfoot: joint collapse is often worse under weight
- Subtalar and midfoot arthritis: joint space narrowing is more accurate standing
- Bunions and toe deformities: 3D alignment guides surgical correction
- Ankle instability: bone alignment and joint congruency under load
- Complex fractures and stress fractures: precise 3D detail guides treatment
- Post-surgical evaluation: confirms correction held up under weight
- Tendon and soft tissue issues: when bone position under load is a contributing factor
pedCAT vs. Traditional Imaging: A Quick Comparison
| Feature | Standard X-Ray | Traditional CT | pedCAT (Weight-Bearing CT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight-bearing position | Sometimes | No | Yes — always |
| 3D imaging | No | Yes | Yes |
| Scan time | Seconds | Minutes | Under 60 seconds |
| Radiation dose | Low | High | Significantly lower than traditional CT |
| Best for | Initial screening | Complex fractures (non-WB) | Complex diagnosis under load |
How does the pedCAT scan work?
The process is quick and comfortable. You stand inside the pedCAT unit, it looks similar to a low-profile cabinet, and remain still while the scanner rotates around your foot and ankle.
- You step into the pedCAT unit and stand normally, bearing full weight.
- The scanner completes a 360-degree scan in under 60 seconds.
- The system generates a detailed 3D model of your foot and ankle structure.
- Dr. Kinmon reviews the imaging with you and discusses findings in the same visit.
There’s no preparation required and no recovery time. The radiation dose is significantly lower than a conventional CT scan, making it a safer option for patients who need serial imaging to monitor progression or healing.
Why is CFAS the only South Florida practice offering this technology?
The pedCAT isn’t widely available. There are only about 50 weight-bearing CT systems in the entire United States, and CFAS in Boca Raton was the first podiatry practice in South Florida to acquire one.
That means most patients in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties have no nearby access to this technology unless they come to CFAS. For patients who’ve had foot and ankle pain evaluated with standard X-rays and come away without clear answers, pedCAT imaging frequently changes the diagnosis, and the treatment plan. The 3D weight-bearing image shows what flat imaging simply can’t.
When should you ask about a pedCAT scan?
Not every foot problem requires a CT scan. But there are situations where your podiatrist should consider it:
- You have persistent foot or ankle pain that hasn’t responded to conservative treatment
- X-rays look normal but you’re still in significant pain with walking or standing
- You’re being evaluated for flatfoot correction, bunion surgery, or ankle reconstruction
- You’ve had prior foot surgery and your surgeon wants to evaluate how the correction held under weight
- You have a complex fracture or joint problem that needs precise 3D mapping before treatment
If you’re not sure whether pedCAT imaging applies to your situation, ask during your initial consultation. Our team can determine whether the scan will add meaningful diagnostic information for your case.
Schedule Your Evaluation at CFAS Boca Raton
Accurate imaging leads to better treatment decisions. The pedCAT gives our podiatric surgeons a level of diagnostic detail that wasn’t available in South Florida until CFAS brought it here.
If you’re dealing with chronic foot or ankle pain, complex deformity, or need pre-surgical evaluation, our team at Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists can evaluate whether weight-bearing CT imaging is right for you. We serve patients across Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, and throughout South Florida. Contact us to schedule an appointment at our Boca Raton location or any of our Florida offices.
Frequently Asked Questions:pedCAT scanner?
Q: What is a pedCAT scanner?
A: The pedCAT is a weight-bearing CT scanner designed specifically for foot and ankle imaging. It scans your foot and ankle while you stand, capturing 3D images of bone structure and joint alignment under natural body weight. This makes it far more accurate than standard X-rays or conventional CT for diagnosing foot and ankle conditions.
Q: Why is weight-bearing CT imaging better for foot problems?
A: Most foot and ankle pain occurs when you’re standing or walking, not lying down. Weight-bearing CT captures bone alignment and joint space under load, which often reveals deformities, instability, or joint collapse that standard imaging misses. Conditions like flatfoot, subtalar arthritis, and bunions all look different when weight is applied.
Q: How long does a pedCAT scan take?
A: A pedCAT scan takes under 60 seconds to complete. The process is quick and comfortable — you simply stand inside the unit while the scanner rotates around your foot. No preparation is required and there is no recovery time.
Q: Is the pedCAT scan safe? How much radiation does it use?
A: The pedCAT uses significantly lower radiation doses than conventional CT scanners. It is considered a safe imaging option and is suitable for patients who need repeat imaging to monitor healing or progression of a foot or ankle condition.
Q: Where in South Florida can I get a pedCAT scan?
A: Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists in Boca Raton is the first and only podiatry practice in South Florida to offer pedCAT weight-bearing CT scanning. There are only about 50 such systems in the United States, making CFAS one of the few foot and ankle practices in the country with this technology on-site.
Q: What conditions does the pedCAT help diagnose?
A: The pedCAT is especially useful for flatfoot deformity, subtalar and midfoot arthritis, bunions, ankle instability, complex fractures, and post-surgical evaluation. It is most valuable when standard X-rays haven’t explained your symptoms, or when your surgeon needs precise 3D imaging before planning a procedure.