Critical reviews in diagnostic imaging
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Crit Rev Diagn Imaging · Jan 1994
ReviewMRI of trauma and sports-related injuries of tendons and ligaments. Part II: Pelvis and lower extremities.
MRI is highly valuable in evaluation of tendons and ligaments of the lower extremities. In this context, MRI is predominantly used in the setting of trauma and sports-related injuries. ⋯ Although interpretation of signal intensities and differentiation of some of these conditions may be difficult, knowledge of the clinical setting, traumatic circumstances, and mechanism of injury would lead to the proper diagnosis. In this article, traumatic and sports-related injuries of tendons and ligaments of the pelvis, knee, ankle, and foot are systematically reviewed.
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The lumbar facet joints have been recognized for many years to be an important source of chronic low back pain with sciatic radiation. The presence of unilateral chronic low back pain with sciatic radiation, but without objective neurological abnormality, is typical of symptomatic lumbar facet arthropathy. ⋯ The combination of computed tomography and fluoroscopically controlled intraarticular lumbar facet block is becoming an important examination sequence in the accurate diagnosis of symptomatic lumbar facet arthropathy. The development of concepts regarding lumbar facet joint abnormalities are reviewed, and implications of the development of new procedures for studying lumbar facet disease in the patient with chronic low back pain and sciatica are discussed.
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Magnetic resonance imaging is the study of choice in the evaluation of infectious and inflammatory disease of the spinal cord and spinal column. Not only is the multiplanar imaging a distinct advantage over other modalities, but direct visualization of the soft tissues, including the spinal cord, paraspinal musculature, and disk, is present. ⋯ Subjects covered include disk space infections, epidural abscess, meningitis, arachnoiditis, and inflammatory mimics of disk space infections. Suggested imaging protocols are stated.
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Fractures of the tibial plateau consist of two important components. One is depression of the plateau surface and the other a detached and peripherally displaced component referred to as the split fragment. The classification of these fractures is based on the morphologic appearance as well as the location of the above components. ⋯ CT can be performed without removal of the knee brace or cast and usually requires less than 12 axial images. Furthermore, the degree of fracture separation and depression can be measured by computerized technique. CT scanning is a reliable method for evaluation and an accurate classification of tibial plateau fractures.