ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS OF FRACTURES - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY

Thanks to the increasing use of ultrasonography in the diagnostic eval uation of the musculoskeletal system. and the development of high-reso lution ultrasonic transducers with ever better image quality, as well as the greater general trend towards non-invasive techniques, the use of ultrasonography in the diagnosis and follow-up of fractures would a ppear to make good sense. The aim of the present experimental study wa s, therefore, to identify the typical acoustic pattern of fractures an d areas of bone impression and defects, while taking account of possib le sources of error due to artefacts. Experiments were carried out on cadaver bones immersed in a water bath, using 7.5 and 10 MHz linear tr ansducers. Depending on its size, the bony defect is represented by an interruption of the cortical echo, or a dorsal band of echoes limited to the fracture zone. Of interest is the fact that fractures and bony defects are not represented as such when the transducer is directed p arallel to the line of the fracture or the impression area. Particular attention needs to be paid to the numerous artefacts occurring at the margins of the fracture, In summary, it may be noted that using resol ution transducers under standardised experimental examination conditio ns, cortical interruptions of not less than 1 mm can be identified.