title: "Metaphyseal" cysts in Legg-Calve-Perthes' disease.
abstract: Radiographic changes in the femoral metaphysis in Legg-Calve-Perthes' (LCP) remain poorly understood. Our hypothesis was that these "cysts" are not truly metaphyseal but are metaphyseal changes radiographically projected onto the metaphysis. Surface epiphyseal changes were made on a normal hip and a hip with LCP. These "lesions" appeared metaphyseal on radiograph, and in the specimen with LCP, projected deep within the metaphysis due to flattening and three-dimensional distortion. "Metaphyseal" cysts in LCP may be epiphyseal changes superimposed on the metaphysis. This would explain the correlation between the presence of a "metaphyseal" lucency and final result, since it is simply another indicator of the extent of epiphyseal involvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98105.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hoffinger
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Rab
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Salamon
mesh_terms: D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D003560:Cysts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005270:Femur Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007873:Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography