THE USE OF MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF STRESS-FRACTURES OF THE FOOT AND ANKLE - 4 CASE-REPORTS

Stress fractures result when bone is subjected to repeated loading whi ch causes fatigue, cracking of the bone, and, eventually, a complete f racture. Stress fractures of the foot and ankle are common injuries af fecting a broad range of the population, from the young to the elderly , the fitness enthusiast to the chronically debilitated. The diagnosis of stress fracture is not always obvious because radiographs are ofte n negative, especially on initial presentation. In this report, we pre sent four cases in which, after appropriate initial studies proved inc onclusive, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to establish the diagnosis of stress fracture, We propose that MRI is a useful diagnost ic modality in a select group of patients with suspected stress fractu res of the foot and ankle.