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Published in: Skeletal Radiology 11/2016

01-11-2016 | Scientific Article

Fat-suppressed T2-weighted MRI appearance of subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head

Authors: Kazuhiko Sonoda, Takuaki Yamamoto, Goro Motomura, Kazuyuki Karasuyama, Yusuke Kubo, Yukihide Iwamoto

Published in: Skeletal Radiology | Issue 11/2016

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Abstract

Objective

Our aims were to investigate the imaging appearance of subchondral insufficiency fracture (SIF) of the femoral head based on fat-suppressed T2-weighted MRI, and evaluate its correlation with the clinical outcomes following conservative treatment.

Materials and methods

We retrospectively evaluated 40 hips in 37 patients with SIF of the femoral head (12 males and 25 females; mean age 55.8 years, range 22–78 years). MRI examinations were performed within 3 months after the onset of hip pain. Using fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging, we evaluated the hips for the intensity of the subchondral bone (corresponding to the area superior to the low intensity band on T1-weighted images) as well as bone marrow edema, joint effusion, and presence of the band lesion. We then correlated the intensity of the subchondral bone with clinical outcomes.

Results

The hips were classified into three types based on subchondral intensity on fat-suppressed T2-weighted images: type 1 (21 hips) showed high intensity, type 2 (eight hips) showed heterogeneous intensity, and type 3 (11 hips) showed low intensity. The mean period between pain onset and MRI examination was significantly longer for type 2 hips than for type 1. Healing rates were 86 % for type 1, 75 % for type 2, and 18 % for type 3.

Conclusion

SIF cases were classified into three types based on subchondral intensity on fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging performed within 3 months after pain onset. Type 3 SIF tended to be intractable to conservative treatment compared to type 1 and type 2.
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Metadata
Title
Fat-suppressed T2-weighted MRI appearance of subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head
Authors
Kazuhiko Sonoda
Takuaki Yamamoto
Goro Motomura
Kazuyuki Karasuyama
Yusuke Kubo
Yukihide Iwamoto
Publication date
01-11-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Skeletal Radiology / Issue 11/2016
Print ISSN: 0364-2348
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2161
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-016-2462-z

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