Early characteristic findings in bowleg deformities: Evaluation using magnetic resonance imaging

We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to evaluate bowleg deformities in infancy. Twenty-five tibiae of 13 infants were examined and divided into tw o groups based on MRI findings: group A had high intensity area in the medi al epiphyseal cartilage on T2-weighted images. Group B had depression of me dial physis and abnormal signal in the perichondrial region in addition to the epiphyseal lesion. At the final follow-up, all cases in group A demonst rated normal lower leg alignments, whereas five cases in group B showed cha racteristic roentogenographic findings of Blount's disease. The improvement rate of metaphyseal-diaphyseal angle was correlated with this classificati on. These findings suggested that abnormal findings in physis and perichond rial region might be preliminary findings in early stage of Blount's diseas e. The high intensity areas in the medial epiphyseal cartilage were commonl y found among the cases with bowing deformities, which suggested that there might be a common pathomechanism between physiologic bowing and infantile Blount's disease.