3-PHASE RADIONUCLIDE BONE IMAGING AND MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING DETECTION OF OCCULT KNEE FRACTURES IN ATHLETES

Twelve athletes presenting acute knee injury with normal radiological findings underwent both three-phase radionuclide bone imaging (TPBI) a nd magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The association of these highly s ensitive diagnostic procedures detected occult fractures in all patien ts. The areas of signal intensity alterations on MRI corresponded to t hose of increased radionuclide uptake in blood pool images. However, t he same areas seemed to be more extended on delayed TPB images. TPBI y ielded early diagnostic information about lesion sites and functional activities, while MRI provided better anatomical definition and specif ic information about associated soft tissue lesions and served to esta blish the correct therapeutic approach and follow-up.