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Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common diseases worldwide and is expected to increase in incidence as the age of the general population rises. Both oral medications, such as NSAIDs, and surgical treatments used for OA management have limitations. Demand is rising for minimally invasive techniques such as intraarticular injections and percutaneous interventions for use in place of or in conjunction with oral medications and surgical therapies, and the past 2 decades have seen a rapid expanse in both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic minimally invasive OA treatments. Image guidance with fluoroscopy, CT, or ultrasound is often used in conjunction with these procedures to achieve precise treatment localization to achieve maximal therapeutic effect. The choice of modality used for image guidance is often influenced by clinician experience, patient characteristics, and equipment availability. This article reviews the mechanisms of action, contraindications, complications, and efficacy of conventional and developing minimally invasive OA treatments. The minimally invasive treatment options described in this Review include therapeutic injections such as antiinflammatory agents, viscosupplements, and biologics, as well as nonpharmacologic treatments of subchondroplasty, nerve ablation, genicular artery embolization, intraarticular pulsed radiofrequency therapy, and MRI-guided focused ultrasound therapy.

To review the epidemiology, pertinent wrist anatomy, classification system, and emergent imaging evaluation of carpal instability with a focus on radiographic assessment of instability. A review of current literature on carpal instability was performed with summary presentation of carpal instability epidemiology, carpal anatomy, imaging evaluation, and classification with imaging evaluation focused on diagnosis in the emergency setting. Carpal instability is a common pathology in falls on outstretched hand and is likely underdiagnosed due to instability being occult or demonstrating subtle malalignment on static imaging of the wrist. While there is a complex network of intrinsic and extrinsic ligaments contributing to carpal instability, a detailed knowledge of these ligaments is not necessary for radiologists to make an accurate diagnosis in the emergency setting, as identification and classification of carpal instability is based on identification of carpal malalignment patterns on radiography as opposed to identification of specific ligament injuries on advanced imaging. The Mayo classification is the most widely used classification system, which divides carpal instability into four categories: dissociative, non-dissociative, complex, and adaptive. Understanding this classification system allows radiologists to successfully classify almost all carpal instability injuries they will encounter, even in the setting of unusual or rare instability patterns. In working with the treating clinician, it is essential that the emergency radiologist is comfortable with identifying and classifying carpal instability. This will ensure prompt treatment of seemingly benign injuries and those that require intervention, surgical or otherwise, improving the likelihood of a good outcome.

To assess the accuracy of craniocervical measurements for identifying craniocervical injuries and the frequency of subjective findings of craniocervical injuries on CT in pediatric patients. Case-controlled retrospective review of patients ≤ 16 years old with craniocervical junction injuries. Receiver operator curves were created for common craniocervical measurements on CT comparing patients with complete and partial craniocervical injuries to uninjured cohort. Frequency of subjective CT findings of craniocervical injury was assessed in the injured cohort. For complete disruption injuries (CD) (n = 27), C1–C2 distance (AUC = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.83–0.97), atlanto-occipital distance (AUC = 0.95–0.98, 95%CI = 0.90–1.00), and basion-dens distance (AUC = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.82–0.98) had excellent accuracy diagnosing injury. Powers ratio (AUC = 0.85, 95%CI = 0.76–0.94) had good, basion-posterior axial line (AUC = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.61–0.86) fair, and atlanto-dental distance (AUC = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.57–0.82) poor accuracy. For partial disruption injuries (PD) (n = 21), basion-dens distance (AUC = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.62–0.88) had fair accuracy diagnosing injury. Powers ratio (AUC = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.47–0.79), C1–C2 distance (AUC = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.45–0.75), atlanto-dental distance (AUC = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.39 = 0.71), atlanto-occipital distance (AUC = 0.63–0.65, 95%CI = 0.47–0.81), and basion-posterior axial line (AUC = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.44–0.76) all had poor accuracy. Eighty-one percent (n = 22) of CD and 38% (n = 8) of PD patients had non-concentric atlanto-occipital joints. One hundred percent of CD patients had ≥ 1 soft tissue finding and eighty-one percent (n = 22) had ≥ 2 findings. Seventy-three percent (n = 16) of PD patients had ≥ 1 soft tissue finding. Eighty-six percent (n = 18) of PD patients had non-concentric atlanto-occipital joints and/or soft tissue findings. Craniocervical measurements have poor accuracy for identifying craniocervical injuries in pediatric patients with incomplete craniocervical ligament disruption. Subjective findings of craniocervical injury are frequently present on CT in pediatric patients and can help increase sensitivity for identifying injury.

While pediatric cervical spine injuries (CSI) are rare, they are associated with high morbidity and mortality and sometimes require expeditious surgical management. In this article, we aim to improve the diagnostic accuracy of pediatric CSI by reviewing normal pediatric cervical anatomy, typical pediatric CSI patterns, and common mimics of pediatric CSI. A literature review was conducted on pediatric CSI, its epidemiology, and the various imaging manifestations and mimics. The most common pediatric CSI occur in the upper cervical spine owing to the higher fulcrum and larger head at a young age, namely prior to age 9 years, while lower CSI occur more frequently in patients older than 9 years. While various craniocervical measurements may be utilized to identify craniocervical disruption, soft tissue injuries may be the only manifestation, thus making pediatric CSI difficult to diagnose on initial imaging. In the acute setting, CT cervical spine is an appropriate initial imaging modality for pediatric CSI evaluation. MRI serves as an additional tool to exclude or identify injuries when initial findings are equivocal. It is essential to recognize the unique anatomy and biomechanics of the pediatric spine and thus discern common pediatric CSI patterns and their mimics.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to describe the epidemiology and imaging characteristics of cervical spine injuries in children with blunt trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We conducted a retrospective review of the records of all patients 16 years old or younger with a diagnosis of cervical spine injury in the trauma registry of our level 1 trauma center between July 2006 and June 2018. RESULTS. Two hundred thirty-five patients were included in the study: 125 with subaxial cervical spine injuries, 87 with upper cervical spine injuries, and 23 with both subaxial and upper cervical spine injuries. The frequency of isolated upper cervical spine injuries was 73% in patients younger than 3 years old, 48% in patients 3-8 years old, and 29% in patients older than 8 years old. Seventy-one percent of occipital condyle fractures were avulsions, and 26% of dens fractures were avulsions. Type II dens fractures were found only in patients older than 8 years old. Type I and III dens fractures were almost exclusively in patients 8 years old or younger. Injuries classified as AOSpine types A, B, and C comprised 65.6%, 17.2%, and 17.2% of subaxial injuries, respectively. Despite similar mechanism of injury distribution across age groups, the frequency of AOSpine type A injuries in patients older than 8 years old (70.6%) was significantly higher compared with patients younger than 3 years old (40.0%) and those who were 3-8 years old (45.0%). The frequency of AOSpine type B injuries in patients younger than 3 years old (40.0%) was slightly higher than patients who were 3-8 years old (30.0%) and almost three times higher than in patients older than 8 years old (13.8%). CONCLUSION. Pediatric patients have high rates of upper cervical spine injuries, which tend to be distraction injuries that are frequently associated with avulsion fractures. Injury patterns in pediatric patients vary significantly by age, with patients younger than 3 years old being particularly prone to distraction type injuries.

Shoulder girdle trauma is one of the most common injuries encountered in emergency centers. These injuries can be easily overlooked due to the complex osteology of the shoulder. Although radiographs are usually sufficient for assessing traumatic shoulder injuries, cross-sectional imaging is sometimes indicated to assess portions of the shoulder not well visualized by radiographs. In this article, the authors review the spectrum of shoulder girdle injuries: sternoclavicular dislocations, clavicle fractures, acromioclavicular separations, shoulder dislocations, scapula fractures, and scapulothoracic dissociation. They also discuss the presentation, imaging evaluation, and classification of these injuries with emphasis on pitfalls in imaging diagnosis and indications for computed tomography/magnetic resonance.

Injuries to the cervical and thoracolumbar spine are commonly encountered in trauma patients presenting for treatment. Cervical spine injuries occur in 3% to 4% and thoracolumbar fractures in 4% to 7% of blunt trauma patients presenting to the emergency department. Clear, validated criteria exist for screening the cervical spine in blunt trauma. Screening criteria for cervical vascular injury and thoracolumbar spine injury have less validation and widespread acceptance compared with cervical spine screening. No validated criteria exist for screening of neurologic injuries in the setting of spine trauma. CT is preferred to radiographs for initial assessment of spine trauma. CT angiography and MR angiography are both acceptable in assessment for cervical vascular injury. MRI is preferred to CT myelography for assessing neurologic injury in the setting of spine trauma. MRI is usually appropriate when there is concern for ligament injury or in screening obtunded patients for cervical spine instability. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Malignant intraosseous peripheral nerve sheath tumor is a very rare malignancy most commonly seen in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1. This tumor almost exclusively occurs in the maxillofacial region, with manifestation of this tumor in other regions of the skeleton infrequently reported. We describe a 23-year-old female with previously undiagnosed neurofibromatosis type 1 presenting with lower extremity weakness, paresthesias, and bowel/bladder symptoms. The patient had an aneurysmal lytic bone lesion centered in the upper sacrum with invasion of the L5 vertebral body. On MRI, the lesion was homogeneously isointense to muscle on T1, heterogeneously hyperintense to muscle on T2, and demonstrated homogeneously avid contrast enhancement. Multiple additional small lesions with similar imaging characteristics were identified in the paraspinal soft tissues. Low grade malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor of the sacrum was diagnosed on biopsy. The patient was treated with sacral resection and radiation therapy for local disease control. Keywords: Malignant, Peripheral, Nerve, Sheath, Tumor, Neurofibromatosis

To identify morphologic features of isolated cervical spine facet fractures that can reliably differentiate AOSpine F1 and F2 injuries. Retrospective review of cervical spine CTs on all patients who sustained isolated cervical fractures of the facets presenting to our level 1 trauma center from August 2012 through December 2015. CTs were reviewed for facet fracture characteristics and AOSpine facet fracture classification. Association between facet fracture characteristics and AOSpine classification was assessed through multivariable logistic regression models. Fifty-six patients with cervical spine fractures isolated to the facets were included in the study. The mean age was 36 (range 9–90) years with 55.4% (n = 31) males. A significant correlation was found between subtype F1 and subtype F2 in laterality (left- or right-sided) (p = 0.004), interfacetal fracture involvement (p

Advances in oncologic treatment have improved survival rates, allowing late effects of radiotherapy to become more prevalent. Our patient, an 82-year-old woman with a remote history of right thigh basal cell carcinoma treated with resection and radiation therapy 18 years prior, presented with severe right thigh pain and inability to bear weight as she had suffered a femur fracture after a fall from standing. Initial imaging was suspicious for pathologic fracture secondary to malignancy due to imaging findings and because radiation-induced fractures have rarely been reported beyond 44 months from treatment. However, upon further imaging, evidence pointed to radiation-induced osteonecrosis as the mechanism for her insufficiency fracture. This case highlights the permanent deleterious effects of radiation therapy on bone, and the prudence of considering radiation-induced osteonecrosis as a mechanism of injury in low-energy trauma even long after radiation therapy. In addition, the case serves to review the natural history of irradiated bone injury and pertinent imaging findings. Keywords: Radiotherapy, Musculoskeletal, Femur, Insufficiency, Fracture, Bone, Radiation-induced, Osteonecrosis

To assess the accuracy of craniocervical measurements for identifying craniocervical injuries and the frequency of subjective findings of craniocervical injuries on CT in pediatric patients.Case-controlled retrospective review of patients ≤ 16 years old with craniocervical junction injuries. Receiver operator curves were created for common craniocervical measurements on CT comparing patients with complete and partial craniocervical injuries to uninjured cohort. Frequency of subjective CT findings of craniocervical injury was assessed in the injured cohort.For complete disruption injuries (CD) (n = 27), C1-C2 distance (AUC = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.83-0.97), atlanto-occipital distance (AUC = 0.95-0.98, 95%CI = 0.90-1.00), and basion-dens distance (AUC = 0.90, 95%CI = 0.82-0.98) had excellent accuracy diagnosing injury. Powers ratio (AUC = 0.85, 95%CI = 0.76-0.94) had good, basion-posterior axial line (AUC = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.61-0.86) fair, and atlanto-dental distance (AUC = 0.69, 95%CI = 0.57-0.82) poor accuracy. For partial disruption injuries (PD) (n = 21), basion-dens distance (AUC = 0.75, 95%CI = 0.62-0.88) had fair accuracy diagnosing injury. Powers ratio (AUC = 0.63, 95%CI = 0.47-0.79), C1-C2 distance (AUC = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.45-0.75), atlanto-dental distance (AUC = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.39 = 0.71), atlanto-occipital distance (AUC = 0.63-0.65, 95%CI = 0.47-0.81), and basion-posterior axial line (AUC = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.44-0.76) all had poor accuracy. Eighty-one percent (n = 22) of CD and 38% (n = 8) of PD patients had non-concentric atlanto-occipital joints. One hundred percent of CD patients had ≥ 1 soft tissue finding and eighty-one percent (n = 22) had ≥ 2 findings. Seventy-three percent (n = 16) of PD patients had ≥ 1 soft tissue finding. Eighty-six percent (n = 18) of PD patients had non-concentric atlanto-occipital joints and/or soft tissue findings.Craniocervical measurements have poor accuracy for identifying craniocervical injuries in pediatric patients with incomplete craniocervical ligament disruption. Subjective findings of craniocervical injury are frequently present on CT in pediatric patients and can help increase sensitivity for identifying injury.

Calcific tendinopathy of the rotator cuff is a common pathology that often presents with clinical symptoms simulating a rotator cuff tear. The reported incidence of rotator cuff tear in the setting of calcific tendinopathy varies widely; however, the reported incidence of full-thickness rotator cuff tear on imaging in calcific tendinopathy is consistently low (

Objective Our purpose was to assess the calibration of resident, fellow, and attending radiologists on a simple image classification task (presence or absence of an anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] tear based on interpretation of sagittal proton density, fat-saturated MR images) and to assess whether teaching residents could improve their calibration. Methods We created a test containing 30 randomized, sagittal, proton density, fat-saturated MR images of the ACL (15 normal, 15 torn). This test was administered in person to 20 trainees and 3 attendings at one medical center in one state. An online version of the test was given to 23 trainees and 14 attendings from 11 other medical centers in nine other states. Subjects were asked to give their confidence level (0%-100%) that each ACL was torn. Results Cross-sectional data were collected from 60 radiologists (mean time after medical school = 9.3 years, minimum = 1 year, maximum = 36 years). This demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in calibration as a function of increasing experience (P = .020). Longitudinal data were collected from 12 trainees at the start and end of their musculoskeletal radiology rotation, with an intervening review of the primary and secondary signs of ACL tear on MR. A statistically significant improvement in calibration was noted during the rotation (P = .028). Conclusions Confidence calibration is a promising tool for quality improvement and radiologist self-assessment. Our study showed that calibration loss improves with experience in radiologists tested on a common and clinically important image classification task. We also demonstrated that calibration can be successfully taught to residents over a relatively short period (2-4 weeks).

To evaluate thoracolumbar spine injury patterns, demographics, and clinical characteristics in pediatric patients following all-terrain vehicle-related trauma. A retrospective review of patients 0–17 years old admitted to a level I trauma center following an ATV-related incident from 2004 to 2013 was performed. Thoracolumbar spine injury patterns, accident mechanism, driver/passenger status, and demographic and clinical data were compared between patients with and without a spine injury. Of 456 pediatric patients involved in ATV-related trauma, 36 sustained one or more thoracolumbar spine injuries (7.9%). These patients tended to be older, taller, heavier, and had a higher BMI. ATV rollover was the major statistically significant mechanism of injury to cause spine fractures (61%). Patients with spine injuries had twice the hospital length of stay compared with those without (4 days vs. 2 days, P = 0.003). Nonstructural spine injuries (A0) were the most common type of injury (49.1%), followed by wedge-compression fractures (A1) (41.1%). In patients with a thoracolumbar spine injury, there was a mean of 3.11 spine injuries per child. Four (10%) patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures also sustained a cervical spine fracture. Once a thoracolumbar spine injury has been detected in a patient, the entire spinal column should be scrutinized because there is a high likelihood for additional injuries throughout the spine. Younger pediatric patients (≤ 8 years old) exhibit a spine fracture pattern distinct from that of older children who have a mature osseous-ligamentous complex.

Shoulder pain is one of the most common reasons for musculoskeletal-related physician visits. Imaging plays an important role in identifying the specific cause of atraumatic shoulder pain. This review is divided into two parts. The first part provides a general discussion of various imaging modalities (radiographs, arthrography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, CT, and MRI) and their usefulness in evaluating atraumatic shoulder pain. The second part focuses on the most appropriate imaging algorithms for specific shoulder conditions including: rotator cuff disorders, labral tear/instability, bursitis, adhesive capsulitis, biceps tendon abnormalities, postoperative rotator cuff tears, and neurogenic pain. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

Correlate body mass index (BMI) with incidence and type of cervical spine injury seen on CT in adult patients presenting with blunt trauma. Retrospective chart review of all adult blunt trauma patients who had a cervical spine CT performed at our level 1 trauma center during an approximately 3-year period. A statistically significant (p = 0.01) difference in cervical spine injury incidence was present between different BMI groups. Cervical spine injury incidence was 7.7% for underweight (BMI ≤ 18) patients, 7.1% for normal weight (BMI 18–25) patients, 6.2% for overweight/obese (BMI 25–35) patients, and 4.7% for morbidly obese (BMI > 35) patients. Using BMI > 18–25 as a reference group, females with BMI > 25–35 had an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 0.56 (CI 0.41–0.75) and females with BMI > 35 had an aOR of 0.42 (CI 0.26–0.70). Males with a BMI ≤ 18 had an aOR of 2.20 (CI 1.12–4.32) and males with BMI > 35 had an aOR of 0.66 (CI 0.46–0.95). A particularly low incidence of cervical spine injury was observed in patients older than 65 in the obese group with a cervical spine injury rate of only 1.4% in this patient population. No statistical significant difference was seen in injury morphology across the BMI groups. An inverse relationship exists between BMI and the overall incidence of cervical spine injury. This protective effect appears to be influenced by gender with elevated BMI having lower relative odds of cervical spine injury in women than in men. A particularly low rate of cervical spine injury was identified in obese patients over the age of 65. Routine imaging of all elderly, obese trauma patients with low energy mechanism of injury may not be warranted.

Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) is a novel technique for treating irreparable rotator cuff tears in younger patients in whom a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is not the optimal treatment choice. This case study describes a middle-aged male with a recurrent, massive, irreparable rotator cuff tear treated with SCR that subsequently failed at the glenoid attachment. The patient underwent successful arthroscopic revision of the SCR. The case illustrates the MRI and arthroscopic correlations of the failed dermal allograft reconstruction, which to our knowledge has not been previously shown in the radiology literature.

Sacral fractures are a common component of pelvic fracture patterns and are an increasingly diagnosed injury both due to increased utilization of CT in trauma evaluation as well as an increasing rate of sacral fragility fractures as a result of an increase in general population age. Innovations in minimally invasive surgical techniques have also resulted in an increasing number of sacral fractures undergoing surgical management. It is vital that physicians practicing in an emergency setting are aware of the injury patterns and management of this increasingly injured and treated component of the bony pelvis. This article reviews the sacral anatomy as well as discusses the role of imaging and imaging appearance of sacral fractures. Sacral fracture patterns are described along with both historic and newer classification systems for sacral fractures and current management of sacral fracture.

The purpose of the study is to determine the incidence of sacral fracture patterns on CT imaging of pelvic trauma patients with correlation with mechanism of injury and pelvic ring injury pattern using the Young-Burgess classification system. This is a retrospective review of all pelvic CTs with pelvic fractures performed at our level 1 trauma center during a 4-year period from July 2010 to June 2014. Sacral fractures were very common in pelvic trauma patients, being present in 60% of patients presenting to our institution with pelvic fractures. Longitudinal fractures were almost always associated with additional pelvic ring injuries. Denis zone 1 fractures had the highest association with lateral compression pelvic ring injuries. Denis zone 2 and 3 fractures were seen with increased frequency in AP compression and vertical shear injuries. A third of transverse sacral fractures occurred in isolation, with isolated transverse sacral fractures typically occurring in the low (S3–S5) sacrum. Almost half of combined transverse and longitudinal sacral fractures occurred without an additional pelvic fracture present. Sacral avulsions almost always occurred as part of a pelvic ring fracture pattern, most commonly in AP compression injuries. Coccyx fractures frequently occurred in isolation, but were commonly seen in vertical shear injuries when associated with a pelvic ring injury pattern. Avulsion fractures and longitudinal fractures of the sacrum are almost always associated with anterior pelvic ring injury. Conversely, transverse fractures of the lower sacrum and combined longitudinal and transverse sacral fractures are prone to occur in isolation.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to summarize the nomenclature of nonneoplastic conditions affecting subchondral bone through a review of the medical literature and expert opinion of the Society of Skeletal Radiology Subchondral Bone Nomenclature Committee. CONCLUSION. This consensus statement summarizes current understanding of the pathophysiologic characteristics and imaging findings of subchondral nonneoplastic bone lesions and proposes nomenclature to improve effective communication across clinical specialties and help avoid diagnostic errors that could affect patient care.

Injuries to the cervical and thoracolumbar spine are commonly encountered in trauma patients presenting for treatment. Cervical spine injuries occur in 3% to 4% and thoracolumbar fractures in 4% to 7% of blunt trauma patients presenting to the emergency department. Clear, validated criteria exist for screening the cervical spine in blunt trauma. Screening criteria for cervical vascular injury and thoracolumbar spine injury have less validation and widespread acceptance compared with cervical spine screening. No validated criteria exist for screening of neurologic injuries in the setting of spine trauma. CT is preferred to radiographs for initial assessment of spine trauma. CT angiography and MR angiography are both acceptable in assessment for cervical vascular injury. MRI is preferred to CT myelography for assessing neurologic injury in the setting of spine trauma. MRI is usually appropriate when there is concern for ligament injury or in screening obtunded patients for cervical spine instability. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

To evaluate chest injury patterns in pediatric patients involved in all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents. Retrospective review of patients 0–18 years old admitted to a level I trauma institute following an ATV-related incident from 2004 to 2013 was performed. Chest injury type, accident mechanism, driver/passenger status, and demographic and clinical data were compared between patients with and without chest injury. Chest injury was present in 102 (22%) of total 455 patients. The most common chest injuries were pulmonary contusion (61%), pneumothorax (45%), and rib fracture (34%). There were no cardiac, esophageal, or tracheobronchial injuries. Pulmonary lacerations, hemothoraces, and scapular fractures were predominantly not detected on radiography and recognized on CT only (86–92%). Patients with chest injury had longer median hospital stays (3 days vs 2 days, p = 0.0054). There was no significant difference in admission to intensive care after controlling for injury severity scores in patients with chest injury compared to those without (17 vs 9). Eight patients with chest injury died (8%) compared to 2 patients without chest injury (0.6%) (p = 0.0002). Chest injuries are common in children following ATV accidents and may be a marker of more severe trauma. Increased public awareness of these potentially devastating injuries and continuing safety efforts are needed.

Acanthamoeba spp. are pathogenic protozoa that are uncommonly encountered. They tend to infect immunocompromised patients, most often causing cutaneous lesions and in some instances granulomatous amebic encephalitis, as well as rare instances of dissemination to other organs. We present a case of amebic osteomyelitis of the fibula in a patient with rejection of a transplanted kidney who was chronically immune-suppressed.

Sternoclavicular injuries are relatively rare, composing less than 1 % of all musculoskeletal fractures or dislocations. When sternoclavicular injuries do occur, they typically present as an isolated dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint without associated fracture of the clavicle or manubrium. However, in patients with unfused medial clavicle physis, sternoclavicular joint injuries can present as a fracture-dislocation through the unfused physis. These physeal injuries are important to recognize as the displaced epiphysis can block reduction of the sternoclavicular joint. We present a case of a 15-year-old female basketball player presenting with suspected sternoclavicular joint injury after sustaining a direct blow to the left shoulder. An initial shoulder CT confirmed the presence of the clinically suspected posterior sternoclavicular dislocation without fracture identified. An MRI of the left sternoclavicular joint was then performed for suspected physeal fracture, which confirmed the presence of a fracture through the medial clavicle physis with anterior displacement of the unossified epiphysis, blocking reduction of the metaphysis. Given the findings on MRI, the pediatric orthropedic surgeon was able to counsel the family of the high likelihood of failed closed reduction of the sternoclavicular joint requiring conversion to open reduction and internal fixation. The patient underwent successful open reduction and internal fixation of the medial clavical physeal fracture after an initial gentle attempt at closed reduction was unsuccessful.

Traumatic shoulder pain is pain directly attributed to a traumatic event, either acute or chronic. This pain may be the result of either fracture (the clavicle, scapula, or proximal humerus) or soft-tissue injury (most commonly of the rotator cuff, acromioclavicular ligaments, or labroligamentous complex). Imaging assessment of traumatic shoulder pain begins with conventional radiography and, depending on physical examination findings, will require MRI or MR arthrography for assessment of soft-tissue injuries and CT for delineation of fracture planes. Ultrasound excels in assessment of rotator cuff injuries but has limited usefulness for assessment of the deep soft-tissues. CT angiography and conventional arteriography are helpful for assessment of vascular injury, and bone scintigraphy can be used in assessment of complex regional pain syndrome after traumatic shoulder injury. The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment.

To compare the incidence of rotator cuff tears on shoulder MRI in patients who have rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy with that in patients without calcific tendinopathy in a frequency-matched case–control study. Retrospective review shoulder MRIs of 86 patients with rotator cuff calcific tendinopathy and an 86-patient age-, gender-, and laterality-matched control group using frequency matching. No statistically significant difference (odds ratio: 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.38–1.38, p = 0.32) was found in the incidence of rotator cuff tear in the calcific tendinopathy (27.9%) and control groups (34.9%). A significant (p

A 4-year-old female was referred to pediatric orthopedic surgery for left leg pain and limping for 3 months following a motor vehicle collision. Recently, the patient's mother had noted left knee swelling and dragging of the left leg when walking. Past medical history was significant for hip dysplasia with slight leg length discrepancy. The patient was otherwise healthy. Physical examination was remarkable for left pre-patellar soft tissue fullness with normal range of motion. There was no warmth or tenderness. Subsequent ultrasound revealed a heterogeneous soft tissue mass superior and medial to the patella with a moderate degree of internal vascularity. MR exhibited a heterogeneous soft tissue mass with heterogeneous signal on both T1- and T2-weighted images centered within the vastus medialis obliquus muscle infiltrating the quadriceps tendon. Excisional biopsy was performed with a histopathologic diagnosis of fibroadipose tissue with anomalous vessels, suggestive of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) hamartoma of the soft tissue (PHOST). The patient was found to be positive for the PTEN gene mutation on genetic testing. The child was also determined to be macrocephalic, a major criterion for PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome (PHTS). The geneticist advised the patient to undergo yearly physical examinations and early, routine surveillance for several malignancies occurring with PHTS. This case report presents the ultrasound and MRI appearance of a rare benign tumor typically appearing in pediatric patients. The strong association between PHOST and other soft tissue malignancies and the resulting need for life-long surveillance make PHOST an important pathology to recognize.

Tha aims of this study were to identify the incidence of femoral head fractures in the setting of acetabular fractures and to determine the relationship between acetabular fracture pattern, the degree of acetabular fracture displacement, and the incidence of femoral head fractures. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of 274 patients with 300 acetabular fractures diagnosed on pelvic CT. Acetabular fractures were categorized using the Judet-Letournel classification system. Femoral head fractures were present in 18.0% of acetabular fractures. Fracture patterns with a posterior wall component had a very high (56.3%) incidence of femoral head fracture. Anterior column and anterior column with posterior hemitransverse fractures have a very low (3.4%) incidence of femoral head fracture. Anterior hip dislocation had a 66.7% incidence of femoral head fracture, while posterior dislocation had a 71.9% incidence. Acetabular fractures displaced by more than 5 mm had a 26.9% incidence of femoral head fracture, while acetabular fracture displaced less than 5 mm had only 4.2% incidence of femoral head fracture. Femoral head fractures are a very common associated finding in patients presenting with acetabular fractures. In patients with a posterior wall component of the fracture or associated hip dislocation, a femoral head fracture is more likely than not present. Conversely, in acetabular fractures with less than 5 mm displacement or anterior column fractures without posterior acetabular involvement, femoral head fractures are very unlikely in the absence of a dislocation event.

The aim of this study is to determine the incidence and location of Morel-Lavallee lesions (MLLs) on pelvic CTs performed in evaluation of pelvic fractures and determine if correlation exists between MLLs and mechanism of injury or pelvic ring injury pattern. A retrospective review was performed of pelvic CTs on 1493 consecutive patients presenting with pelvic fractures at our level 1 trauma center. MLLs occurred in 182 of 1493 patients presenting with pelvic fractures. Statistical significance in MLL incidence was found across mechanism of injuries with MLLs being seen most frequently in MCC/ATV accidents and crush injuries. A little over half of MLLs occurred over the lateral thigh with almost all other MLLs occurring over the posterior (flank or lumbar) region. MLLs were much more common in vertical shear and spinopelvic dissociation pelvic ring fracture patterns compared to lateral compression and AP compression patterns. In lateral compression injuries, MLLs most commonly occurred over the thigh. In all other pelvic ring injury patterns, MLLs were predominately posterior. MLL's are not as rare as previously believed. The lateral thigh and lumbar/flank regions should be closely inspected on pelvic trauma patients to identify MLLs, particularly in patients with a spinopelvic dissociation injury pattern.

To identify the incidence of brachialis enhancement deficits (BEDs) on contrast-enhanced elbow MRIs and determine if there is an association between the presence of BEDs and presenting symptoms, other imaging findings, or patient positioning.Elbow MRIs from 138 patients (64 males, mean age 45.3 years) were reviewed. The presence, size, and degree of enhancement of BEDs as well as degree of elbow flexion, relative degree of forearm rotation, and additional finding of pathology on the MRI were recorded.BEDs were found in 54 % (75/138) of contrast-enhanced elbow MRIs. No statistically significant difference was seen between age, gender, presenting symptoms and the presence of BEDs. The BEDs varied considerably in size and degree of diminished enhancement compared to adjacent muscle. There was a very significant correlation between degree of elbow flexion and presence of BEDs (p 0.0001) and a significant inverse correlation between cross-sectional size of BEDs and degree of flexion (p 0.01). There was no significant correlation between BED enhancement difference and degree of flexion and no significant correlation between degree of forearm rotation and cross-sectional area or enhancement difference of the BEDs. No correlation was found between the presence of BEDs and other pathology present on the MRI.BEDs are a common, likely asymptomatic phenomenon seen on post contrast elbow MRIs. The etiology of BEDs is uncertain, but they may represent a vascular phenomenon related to elbow flexion causing diminished enhancement related to brachialis compression.

Focal periphyseal edema (FOPE) zones are areas of periphyseal edema seen near the time of physeal closure which are believed to be a physiologic phenomenon related to changes in distribution of forces around the physis as it closes. Since the original case series describing these areas of periphyseal edema, there has been little published in regard to FOPE zone outside of review articles. We present a set of three patients identified with focal periphyseal edema zones around the knee and compare our findings with the initial case series. We include a patient presenting with bilateral, nearly symmetric, focal periphyseal edema zones of the proximal tibia physis and a patient with partial closure of the physis at time of presentation, which were not reported in the original case series.

Osseous scaphotrapezial coalition is one of the rarest forms of carpal coalition of the hand. Often discovered incidentally, pain and functional limitation have not been reported. Carpal coalitions occurring across the carpal rows are thought to occur as a result of some insult or congenital anomaly. Isolated scaphotrapezial coalition calls into question the traditional thinking that fusion between the proximal and distal carpal rows must be acquired or associated with congenital syndromes.

Background Computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen has been used for 30 years to evaluate the stable blunt trauma patient. However, the early diagnosis of blunt hollow viscus injury (BHVI) remains a challenge. Delayed diagnosis and intervention of BHVI lead to significant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to identify a combination of radiographic and clinical variables present at admission that could lead to earlier surgical intervention for BHVI. Methods Significant predictors were identified through a retrospective review of all blunt trauma patients admitted to a Level 1 trauma center from 2005 to 2010 with an admission CT of the abdomen/pelvis and diagnosed with any mesenteric injury. The Bowel Injury Prediction Score (BIPS) was calculated based on the following three elements with a point given for each outcome: white blood cell count of 17.0 or greater, abdominal tenderness, and CT scan grade for mesenteric injury of 4 or higher. Results A total of 18,927 blunt trauma patients were admitted during the study period. Of these, 380 had a mesenteric injury, 110 met inclusion criteria, 60 had a surgical intervention, and 43 had BHVI. Of the 110 study patients, 43 (39%) had an immediate operation, 17 (16%) had a delayed operation (>4 hours), and 50 (46%) had no surgical intervention. The median BIPS for the immediate and delayed group was 2, while for the no-surgery group, the score was 0. Patients with a BIPS of 2 or greater were 19 times more likely to have a BHVI than patients with a BIPS of less than 2 (odds ratio, 19.2; 95% confidence interval, 6.78-54.36; p Conclusion Three predictors (admission CT scan grade of mesenteric injury, white blood cell count, and abdominal tenderness) were used to create a new bowel injury score, with a score of 2 or greater being strongly associated with BHVI. Prospective validation of these retrospective findings is warranted to fully assess the accuracy of the BIPS. Level of evidence Prognostic study, level III.

Congenital indifference to pain is a rare and debilitating congenital disease. Individuals with the disorder may have one or a combination of sensory or autonomic deficits, which can range from lack of mechanical nociception, diminished ability to detect heat and cool stimulation, to the devastating and fatal form which includes autonomic dysfunction. It is important for radiologists to be able to recognize the radiographic presentations of this rare disorder, as delay in diagnosis can lead to extensive and sometimes unnecessary workup. We present a case of congenital indifference to pain initially interpreted as a mass of the distal femur.

Computed tomography (CT) evaluation of the acute polytrauma patient has become well established as a mainstay of ER triage in hemodynamically stable patients. The radiologist plays a pivotal role in directing management by identifying and appropriately categorizing the severity of a patient's injuries. High-grade liver injuries have undergone an increasing trend of nonoperative management over the last several decades, with concurrent decrease in mortality. However, we present a case of a patient with a grade V liver laceration, in whom a rare portacaval shunt was also present. In the setting of this rare injury, the radiologist will likely be the first person to recognize and categorize a severe complication, which may indicate the need for a fundamental change in patient management.