Pediatric pelvis: radiographic appearance in various congenital disorders.

This article presents the spectrum of pelvic abnormalities in developmental diseases of bone. The pelvis comprises the ilium, ischium and pubis, and the sacrum. Knowledge of pelvic embryology and normal development is essential in recognizing pelvic abnormalities and disorders, which involve the number of bone elements, rate of ossification, density, and size or shape. Anarchic development of bone and dysplasias identifiable at birth must also be considered. The pelvis is important in the evaluation of such disorders because of the frequent, varied, and often specific radiologic abnormalities. The pelvis may also be the first evidence for a congenital malformation syndrome because it is often included in routine radiographic examinations.     

Femoroacetabular cam-type impingement: diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of radiographic views compared to radial MRI

Purpose

To retrospectively assess the diagnostic sensitivity of 45° Dunn view and cross-table lateral radiographs for the assessment of cam deformity by comparison with radial MRI.

Materials and methods

60 cases with radiographs (38 a–p and 45° Dunn views, 22 a–p and cross-table lateral views) and radial MRI were assessed. Alpha angle measurements were obtained both for radiographs and radial MRI. Statistics included frequency analysis, bivariate linear correlation analyses of MRI and radiograph measurements and cross-table analyses testing for the sensitivity and specificity of radiographs for the detection of an alpha angle larger than 55°.

Results

53.3% had the maximum alpha angle in the superior–anterior aspect of the femoral head–neck junction. Cam deformity was found in 45/60 cases (75%) in radial MRI. Pearson correlation demonstrated the Dunn view was most accurate for the superior–anterior aspect (.772, P < .001). The cross-table lateral views were best suited for the anterior–superior aspect (.511, P < .05). The sensitivity for cam deformity in the Dunn view was 96.4% vs. 70.6% in the cross-table lateral view.

Conclusion

The 45° Dunn view can improve the first line of impingement diagnostics. Radial MRI however remains indispensable for pre-operative planning and the evaluation of symptomatic cases without obvious deformity.     

Traumatology and diagnosis of scaphoid fracture

In 9 years, 1,104 patients had one or more roentgenological studies of the scaphoid; 252 fractures of the scaphoid were found. The most reported traumatic mechanism was a fall on the extended wrist. The form of fracture most seen was transverse fracture of the scaphoid; most of the fractures were found in the middle third of the scaphoid. The primary radiodiagnostic procedure should contain pictures of the wrist in two planes and four special pictures of the scaphoid. The "fat-pad sign" seems to be an unreliable indicator of fracture, but nearly two-thirds of fractures of the scaphoid showed a swelling of the soft tissues in the X-ray picture.     

The chance fracture: Anteroposterior radiographic signs

Chance fractures and their ligamentous equivalents may be readily diagnosed on lateral radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine, but often, the lateral view is of insufficient diagnostic quality in the emergency setting. It is imperative, therefore, to recognize the findings of Chance injuries on the anteroposterior view of the spine. This pictorial essay emphasizes the various manifestations of the Chance fracture on the anteroposterior radiograph, an understanding of which is facilitated by a review of the mechanism of this injury.     

不同MRI序列对隐性创伤骨折诊断价值的对比研究--ROC分析

目的比较MRI不同成像序列对隐性创伤骨折的诊断价值.方法常规X线平片阴性而临床高度怀疑为隐性创伤骨折的51例病人进一步行MRI检查,最终27例被确诊.采用受试者操作特征(ROC)曲线比较T1WI/SE,T2WI/FSE,STIR三种序列的敏感度、特异度和准确性.采用kappa检验计算观察者间符合度.结果阅片者1三种序列的ROC曲线下面积分别为0.95,0.89,0.90,敏感度分别为85%,81%,78%,特异度为96%,83%,92%.阅片者2曲线下面积分别为0.96,0.90,0.90,敏感度为88%,85%,81%,特异度为92%,88%,92%.三种序列的敏感度、特异度和诊断准确性差异均无统计学意义(p＞0.05).T1WI/SE具有最佳的观察者间符合度,三种序列的Kappa值分别为0.765,0.647,0.687.结论ROC分析显示T1WI/SE诊断隐性创伤骨折的价值优于T2WI/FSE和STIR,可能是由于其具有较好的特异度所致.     

腕舟状骨骨折不愈合的手术治疗

探讨腕舟状骨骨折不愈合因素及预防、治疗方法。对23例腕舟状骨骨折行切开复位植骨AO螺钉内固定术,12～24周后骨折全部愈合,腕关节功能恢复良好。     

Dorsal fracture of the hamate: distinctive radiographic appearance

Six patients who injured their wrists had radiographs documenting a dorsal, 5- to 10-mm oblong fragment of bone immediately proximal to the base of the fourth and/or fifth metacarpal bones. The fragment was seen on the pronation oblique and/or lateral projections, but not on the posteroanterior projection. The radiographic appearance of the fragment was remarkably similar in all cases. In the one patient in which it was performed, pluridirectional tomography demonstrated that the fragment originated from the dorsal surface of the hamate. Five of the six patients also had associated posterior dislocation of the fourth and/or fifth metacarpals. We conclude that this fragment represents a coronal fracture through the body of the hamate resulting from posterior dislocation or subluxation of the fourth and/or fifth metacarpal.     

Use of special mammographic views to maximize radiographic information

Additional x-ray views can offer helpful information in both symptomatic patients (better evaluating the area of clinical abnormality) and screening patients (often preventing unnecessary biopsies). A wide variety of views have been devised to help solve specific problems raised by either suspected clinical or mammographic abnormalities. We have found those views described above to be most useful.     

A review of scaphoid fracture healing in competitive athletes

A fractured scaphoid is a common disabling injury occurring in contact sports. Plaster immobilization is the most frequently used form of therapy. However, the rules governing most amateur sports do not allow an unyielding form of immobilization distal to the elbow. We describe a method of treating scaphoid fractures with custom-made Silastic (Dow Corning Wright, Arlington, TN) casts for competitive athletes. A retrospective review of 14 scaphoid fractures occurring in athletes competing in contact sports was completed to determine if effective immobilization could be maintained with this technique. The study covered a 10 year period with an average followup of 3.9 years (range 2 to 9 years). Ten of 11 middle third scaphoid fractures healed uneventfully. One nonunion occurred following a 7 week delay in diagnosis. Two of three proximal third scaphoid fractures went on to nonunion, while the third healed after a prolonged period of treatment. Our data indicate that nondisplaced middle third scaphoid fractures can be effectively immobilized for competition in contact sports with the custom-made Silastic cast described.     

Early MRI in the management of clinical scaphoid fracture

The incidence of MRI detected scaphoid and other wrist fractures was determined in a clinical setting in patients with suspicion of scaphoid injury and negative initial radiographs. The influence on subsequent patient management was examined. Patients attending Accident and Emergency over a 25 month period with suspected scaphoid fracture and normal scaphoid series plain films were referred for wrist MRI. Scans comprising T(1) weighted spin echo and short tau inversion recovery (STIR) coronal sequences were performed in a dedicated extremity low field MRI scanner within 14 days of injury. Subsequent effects on patient management were ascertained by clinician completed questionnaire. 195 patients were scanned. There were 37 scaphoid fractures (19%), 28 distal radius fractures (14%), 9 fractures of other carpal bones (5%) and 119 studies with no fracture. The management of 180 patients (92%) was altered as a result of the MRI scan. Occult fractures are present in almost two fifths of patients with suspected scaphoid fracture and normal initial plain films. Half of these are scaphoid fractures. MRI allows an early definitive diagnosis to be made, changing patient management in over 90% of cases and should be regarded as the gold standard investigation in this population.     

CT of the wrist in suspected scaphoid fracture.

Bone scan and sagittal projection CT of the scaphoid was performed in 10 patients with clinically suspected scaphoid fractures. The primary and follow-up plain radiographs were negative or equivocal for fracture. CT examination demonstrated scaphoid fracture in 7 patients and normal findings in 3. It is concluded that CT of the scaphoid can replace bone scan to diagnose or rule out fracture in institutions where nuclear medicine facilities are not available.     

Skeletal scintigraphy of the wrist in suggested scaphoid fracture

Skeletal scintigraphy was performed in 187 patients with clinical suspicion of a scaphoid fracture but with normal radiographic findings. In 85 patients focally moderately (12 patients) or markedly to intensely (73 patients) increased radionuclide uptake was seen, over either the distal radius or carpal bones. A fracture corresponding to markedly increased uptake was eventually verified in 15 out of 26 patients in the distal radius, in 21 out of 28 in the scaphoid but in only 6 out of 18 in other carpal bones. One fracture of the body and one of the hook of the hamate were found, one fracture of the capitate and three of the triquetrum. Not a single fracture was verified in 10 patients with markedly, often intensely, increased activity over the trapezium/trapezoid. It is concluded that scintigraphy is of value in carpal trauma not only to exclude scaphoid fracture but also to direct the attention to the possibility of other carpal fractures, otherwise usually missed.     

Case report: False negative 16 detector multislice CT for scaphoid fracture

We discuss a case of a 19-year-old man with scaphoid trauma. We describe the imaging findings on three sets of radiographs, bone scintigraphy, CT and MRI. CT failed to identify a scaphoid fracture, which was present on 6 week radiographs, MRI and scintigraphy. The case illustrates that despite multidetector technology, CT still relies upon cortical and or trabecular displacement to demonstrate fractures.