The aim of our study was to compare the clinical versus radiological diagnosis of patients suffering from a Morton's neuroma. Clinical assessments and pre operative radiological imaging of patients who underwent operative procedures for an excision of a Morton's neuroma were retrospectively compared. This review included 43 excised Morton's neuromas from 36 different patients over a period of 68 months, performed by one surgical team. The commonest clinical symptoms were those of pain or tingling on the plantar aspect of the affected webspace on direct palpation (100%), pain of weight bearing (91%) which was relieved by rest (81%) and pain on stretching the toes (79%). The most sensitive clinical sign was a Mulder's click. Our results showed that clinical assessment was the most sensitive method of diagnosing these neuromas (98%). All of our patients had at least one mode of radiological investigation. Ultrasonography was the commonest requested single imaging modality in our series. It was found to have a sensitivity of 90% (28/31). This imaging technique has the disadvantage of being operator dependant, as highlighted by the fact that one of our patients had a correct radiological diagnosis after a repeat ultrasound to the affected area was requested. Magnetic Resonance Image scan is a more expensive technique as it has the advantage of producing static reproducible images. As a single imaging modality, it was found to have a sensitivity of 92% (12/13) in our series. 3 patients had both imaging modalities; initial ultrasound failed to convincingly diagnose a neuroma in 2 cases and in the other case, the initial MRI did not show any pathology. In all these cases, the repeat imaging techniques confirmed the clinical diagnosis. We conclude that there is no absolute requirement for ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging in patients who clinically are suspected to have a Morton's neuroma, as the clinical examination was found to be the most sensitive method of diagnosis. We suggest that the two main indications for performing some form of imaging is (a) an unclear clinical assessment and (b) cases when more than one webspace appears to be affected. An ultrasound of the webspaces should be the radiological investigation of choice, followed by a magnetic resonance scanning if any uncertainty still remains

Aims

Occult (clinical) injuries represent 15% of all scaphoid fractures, posing significant challenges to the clinician. MRI has been suggested as the gold standard for diagnosis, but remains expensive, time-consuming, and is in high demand. Conventional management with immobilization and serial radiography typically results in multiple follow-up attendances to clinic, radiation exposure, and delays return to work. Suboptimal management can result in significant disability and, frequently, litigation.

Aims

In the Netherlands, general practitioners (GPs) can request radiographs. After a radiologically diagnosed fracture, patients are immediately referred to the emergency department (ED). Since 2020, the Máxima Medical Centre has implemented a new care pathway for minor trauma patients, referring them immediately to the traumatology outpatient clinic (OC) instead of the ED. We investigated whether this altered care pathway leads to a reduction in healthcare consumption and concomitant costs.

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between fracture displacement and survivorship of the native hip joint without conversion to a total hip arthroplasty (THA), and to determine predictors for conversion to THA in patients treated nonoperatively for acetabular fractures.

Shoulder pain or loss of normal range of motion is a frequent complaint in the outpatient clinic. Of these presentations, rotator cuff injury is a common cause. This can range from mild, transient inflammation of the tendons, to partial tears of tendons, or even full thickness tears. Disruption of the tendons can occur from forceful forward throwing actions undertaken in some sports, for example baseball pitching, more commonly in the UK however, chronic impingement can lead eventually to a tendon tear-usually seen in an older population. Current methods of investigation of such injuries after clinical history and examination, includes plain film radiography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and arthrography. We decided to look at how ultrasound can be used in the district general hospital for investigation of such injuries. Aims. To determine the accuracy of ultrasound as an investigative tool for clinically suspected rotator cuff tears. Methods. Seventy-five consecutive ultrasonographic study reports, in patients who subsequently underwent arthroscopic examination, were scrutinised and correlated with surgical findings. From this, sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound at this district general hospital were calculated. In addition, this data was compiled for each of the three Consultant Radiologists in order to assess the operator dependent nature of ultrasound. Results. Of the 74 cases analysed, 43 (58.1%) had full correlation with the arthroscopy findings, 13 (17.6%) had mixed correlation, and 18 cases (24.3%) had no correlation between the ultrasound and arthroscopy report. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound at our institution was 0.76 and 0.8 respectively with regards to a tear being detected at ultrasound and then visualised during surgery. Conclusions. There is no current national guidance as to which imaging modality should be first line following clinical examination. Magnetic resonance arthrography, widely thought of as being the gold standard investigation, is not only expensive and possible only in certain centres, but is also invasive, time consuming, and has many relative contraindications. Ultrasound offers a clinical advantage by allowing the radiologist to speak to the patient and assess their range of motion whilst performing the study. This interaction is lost totally in MRI, CT and even MR arthrography. Our study shows that ultrasonography can be quite accurate in identifying a rotator cuff tear. Although it is operator-dependent, ultrasound should be considered more often as a first-line imaging tool for suspected rotator cuff tears as it is relatively inexpensive, quick, and most importantly dynamic

Aims

The aims of this study were to assess the pre- and postoperative incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) using routine duplex Doppler ultrasound (DUS), to assess the incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) using CT angiography, and to identify the factors that predict postoperative DVT in patients with a pelvic and/or acetabular fracture.

Aims

The primary aim of this study was to determine if delayed clavicular fixation results in a greater risk of operative complications and revision surgery.

Aims

To evaluate whether an ultra-low-dose CT protocol can diagnose selected limb fractures as well as conventional CT (C-CT).

Objectives

The radiographic union score for tibial (RUST) fractures was developed by Whelan et al to assess the healing of tibial fractures following intramedullary nailing. In the current study, the repeatability and reliability of the RUST score was evaluated in an independent centre (a) using the original description, (b) after further interpretation of the description of the score, and (c) with the immediate post-operative radiograph available for comparison.

Objectives

Current studies on the additional benefit of using computed tomography (CT) in order to evaluate the surgeons’ agreement on treatment plans for fracture are inconsistent. This inconsistency can be explained by a methodological phenomenon called ‘spectrum bias’, defined as the bias inherent when investigators choose a population lacking therapeutic uncertainty for evaluation. The aim of the study is to determine the influence of spectrum bias on the intra-observer agreement of treatment plans for fractures of the distal radius.

We describe the routine imaging practices of Level 1 trauma centres for patients with severe pelvic ring fractures, and the interobserver reliability of the classification systems of these fractures using plain radiographs and three-dimensional (3D) CT reconstructions. Clinical and imaging data for 187 adult patients (139 men and 48 women, mean age 43 years (15 to 101)) with a severe pelvic ring fracture managed at two Level 1 trauma centres between July 2007 and June 2010 were extracted. Three experienced orthopaedic surgeons classified the plain radiographs and 3D CT reconstruction images of 100 patients using the Tile/AO and Young–Burgess systems. Reliability was compared using kappa statistics. A total of 115 patients (62%) had plain radiographs as well as two-dimensional (2D) CT and 3D CT reconstructions, 52 patients (28%) had plain films only, 12 (6.4%) had 2D and 3D CT reconstructions images only, and eight patients (4.3%) had no available images. The plain radiograph was limited to an anteroposterior pelvic view. Patients without imaging, or only plain films, were more severely injured. A total of 72 patients (39%) were imaged with a pelvic binder in situ.

Interobserver reliability for the Tile/AO (Kappa 0.10 to 0.17) and Young–Burgess (Kappa 0.09 to 0.21) was low, and insufficient for clinical and research purposes.

Severe pelvic ring fractures are difficult to classify due to their complexity, the increasing use of early treatment such as with pelvic binders, and the absence of imaging altogether in important patient sub-groups, such as those who die early of their injuries.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:1396–1401.

An MR scan was performed on all patients who presented to our hospital with a clinical diagnosis of a fracture of the proximal femur, but who had no abnormality on plain radiographs. This was a prospective study of 102 consecutive patients over a ten-year period. There were 98 patients who fulfilled our inclusion criteria, of whom 75 were scanned within 48 hours of admission, with an overall mean time between admission and scanning of 2.4 days (0 to 10). A total of 81 patients (83%) had abnormalities detected on MRI; 23 (23%) required operative management.

The use of MRI led to the early diagnosis and treatment of occult hip pathology. We recommend that incomplete intertrochanteric fractures are managed non-operatively with protected weight-bearing. The study illustrates the high incidence of fractures which are not apparent on plain radiographs, and shows that MRI is useful when diagnosing other pathology such as malignancy, which may not be apparent on plain films.