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Published in: Skeletal Radiology 12/2017

01-12-2017 | Scientific Article

High-resolution 3-T MRI of the triangular fibrocartilage complex in the wrist: injury pattern and MR features

Authors: Huili Zhan, Huibo Zhang, Rongjie Bai, Zhanhua Qian, Yue Liu, Heng Zhang, Yuming Yin

Published in: Skeletal Radiology | Issue 12/2017

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Abstract

Objectives

To investigate if using high-resolution 3-T MRI can identify additional injuries of the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) beyond the Palmer classification.

Materials and methods

Eighty-six patients with surgically proven TFCC injury were included in this study. All patients underwent high-resolution 3-T MRI of the injured wrist. The MR imaging features of TFCC were analyzed according to the Palmer classification.

Results

According to the Palmer classification, 69 patients could be classified as having Palmer injuries (52 had traumatic tears and 17 had degenerative tears). There were 17 patients whose injuries could not be classified according to the Palmer classification: 13 had volar or dorsal capsular TFC detachment and 4 had a horizontal tear of the articular disk.

Conclusion

Using high-resolution 3-T MRI, we have not only found all the TFCC injuries described in the Palmer classification, additional injury types were found in this study, including horizontal tear of the TFC and capsular TFC detachment. We propose the modified Palmer classification and add the injury types that were not included in the original Palmer classification.
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Metadata
Title
High-resolution 3-T MRI of the triangular fibrocartilage complex in the wrist: injury pattern and MR features
Authors
Huili Zhan
Huibo Zhang
Rongjie Bai
Zhanhua Qian
Yue Liu
Heng Zhang
Yuming Yin
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Skeletal Radiology / Issue 12/2017
Print ISSN: 0364-2348
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2161
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-017-2739-x

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